Podcasts about Antiochus IV Epiphanes

Series: Signs & GloryTitle: “Are we ready to celebrate AND surrender to Jesus?"Scripture: John 12:9-2511:47-48,Psalm 118:19-26,Zechariah 9:9-10,Luke 14:25-33,2 Corinthians 4:16-18Bottom line: We will follow Jesus in celebration AND surrender when we see him clearly.INTRODUCTIONCONTEXTSERMON OUTLINECONCLUSIONNOTESOUTLINESQUESTIONS TO CONSIDER DISCUSSION QUESTIONSMAIN REFERENCES USEDOpening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same. INTRODUCTIONTitanic compartmentalization.Bottom line: We will follow Jesus is celebration AND surrender when we see him clearly.Outline (Kent Hughes)I. The King Presented (12-19)Context - 3 groups come and intercept Jesus and his followersPilgrims coming to purify themselves before the PassoverLocals and pilgrims who saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the deadReligious leaders furious and bent on execution for blasphemy"Hosanna" = Save! (Ps 118)Donkey's colt (Zech 9:9-10)Delayed understanding"The whole world has gone after him."II. The King Pursed (20-22)Greeks = Gentile truth seekers"We would like to see Jesus" --continuous senseIII. The King's Proclamation (12:24-26)Jesus' response to their inquiry but to everyoneTo live you must die--to do this life that you will live in this life and beyondDies "alone" - “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” ‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬To die alone is to die but not be buried in the ground. To die and be put into the ground leads to life in this parable.https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.12.24.ESVNo exceptionsDie => Follow => Serve => HonorCrown preceded by the cross/crucifixionFor JesusFor usAdditionalThe Triumphal Entry of Jesus is one of the most well-known events in the Gospels, and it's rich with meaning. It's recorded in all four Gospels: Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, and John 12:12–19.Here's the basic scene:It happens at the beginning of what we now call Holy Week, (Sunday) just a few days before Jesus' crucifixion (Friday). Jesus is approaching Jerusalem, and as He nears the city, He sends two of His disciples to find a donkey and her colt, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 — “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey.”Riding a donkey (instead of a war horse) was deeply symbolic. It showed that He came not as a conquering military leader but as the humble, peaceful Messiah. As He rides into Jerusalem, crowds gather and spread their cloaks and palm branches on the road. They shout:“Hosanna to the Son of David!”“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”“Hosanna” means “save us,” so they were both praising Him and calling out for deliverance. The crowd was hoping for a political savior to overthrow Roman rule, but Jesus had come to bring a far greater salvation — freedom from sin and death.This moment is full of contrasts:He's welcomed as a king, but within days, He will be rejected and crucified.The crowds are shouting praise, but soon many will shout, “Crucify Him!”It fulfills prophecy and shows Jesus embracing His mission, knowing exactly where it will lead.It's called the “Triumphal Entry,” but the triumph is not in immediate victory — it's in Jesus walking the path of suffering for our salvation. The Triumphal Entry is saturated with Old Testament echoes and themes that quietly (or loudly!) proclaim Jesus as the true King, the Messiah, and the sacrificial Lamb. Let's unpack a few:Zechariah 9:9 — King Comes on a Donkey“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”Jesus intentionally fulfills this prophecy. Kings sometimes rode donkeys in the ancient Near East to symbolize peace. When Solomon was crowned, he rode King David's mule (1 Kings 1:33–35). So Jesus riding a donkey is a royal claim — but a humble, peaceful one. He's not coming as a warlord; He's coming as the Prince of Peace.Psalm 118:25–26 — The Hosanna PsalmThe crowd shouts:“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”This is a direct quote from Psalm 118, a psalm used in pilgrim festivals, especially Passover. “Hosanna” originally meant “save us now!” — it's a plea for salvation and a cry of praise. Psalm 118 also speaks of the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone, which Jesus applies to Himself later in the week (Matthew 21:42).Palm Branches — Victory and KingshipPalm branches were symbols of victory and kingship, often associated with Jewish nationalism (think of the Maccabean Revolt about 150 years earlier, where palm branches celebrated military victory). The crowd is treating Jesus like a conquering hero, anticipating national deliverance from Rome.(See notes below for more)Transition:"So, when Jesus rides into Jerusalem, He's not just making a political statement — He's weaving together centuries of prophecy, promise, and hope. He is the promised King, the humble servant, the Passover Lamb, the cornerstone, and the very presence of God returning to His people.And of course, all of this sets the stage for the cross. The King enters not to take power by force, but to lay down His life." -ChatGPTConclusion:Bottom line: I can trust God with everything, even when in need, because he provides, he cares, and he is with us.George Mueller, champion of orphans in England when asked, "What has been the secret of your life?" hung his head and said, "There was a day when I died." Then he bent lower and said, "Died to George Müller, his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame even of brethren or friends." -Hughes, p. 307-308What about you?Do you celebrate Jesus but not surrender to his rule and reign? The latter undoes the former. Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬InvitationHow do we respond? Answer 2 questions:Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions: What is God saying to me right now?What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper. What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don't have to get too specific to give him praise.Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)PrayNOTES"George Müller (1805–1898) was a Christian evangelist and the founder of the Ashley Down orphanages in Bristol, England. Originally from Prussia (modern-day Germany), Müller lived a rebellious youth but experienced a profound conversion in his early twenties. Moved by compassion and a deep trust in God's provision, he established homes for orphaned children at a time when many were homeless and destitute.What set Müller apart was his radical reliance on prayer. He famously never solicited funds directly but trusted God to provide for the needs of thousands of children under his care. Over his lifetime, Müller cared for over 10,000 orphans, established schools, and distributed vast numbers of Bibles and tracts. His legacy continues as a testimony to God's faithfulness and the power of prayerful dependence.If you want, I can also give you some powerful quotes or stories from his life!Of course — here's a quick bio on George Müller:George Müller (1805–1898) was a Christian evangelist and the founder of the Ashley Down orphanages in Bristol, England. Originally from Prussia (modern-day Germany), Müller lived a rebellious youth but experienced a profound conversion in his early twenties. Moved by compassion and a deep trust in God's provision, he established homes for orphaned children at a time when many were homeless and destitute.What set Müller apart was his radical reliance on prayer. He famously never solicited funds directly but trusted God to provide for the needs of thousands of children under his care. Over his lifetime, Müller cared for over 10,000 orphans, established schools, and distributed vast numbers of Bibles and tracts. His legacy continues as a testimony to God's faithfulness and the power of prayerful dependence." -ChatGPTKey Themes in the PassageJesus' fame is peaking — His miracle with Lazarus draws crowds and stirs belief.Conflict intensifies — The religious leaders feel threatened and plan to destroy both Lazarus and Jesus.Messianic hopes rise — The crowd greets Jesus as King, but their expectations are political and immediate.Fulfillment of prophecy — Jesus knowingly fulfills Scripture, showing He is the promised King, though His kingdom is not what they expect.Misunderstood glory — Even the disciples don't grasp the full meaning until after the resurrection. -ChatGPTGenesis 49:10–11 — The King from JudahJacob's blessing over Judah includes a fascinating image:“The scepter will not depart from Judah… He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch.”The image of the donkey and colt ties Jesus back to this prophecy of a ruler from the tribe of Judah — which Jesus is.Timing: Passover Lamb Selection DayThis one is stunning. Jesus enters Jerusalem on the 10th of Nisan, the day Jewish families selected their Passover lambs (Exodus 12:3). He is, in effect, presenting Himself as the Lamb of God, chosen for sacrifice. John the Baptist had already called Him this in John 1:29 — “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”God's Glory Returning to the Temple (Ezekiel 43:1–5)Ezekiel saw a vision of God's glory returning to the temple from the east. Jesus, the embodiment of God's glory, approaches Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives to the east (Luke 19:37). There's a sense that God is coming back to His house — though, heartbreakingly, many will not recognize Him. -RC SproulFrom RC Sproul“In the intertestamental period, something took place that would define the Jewish people in terms of their national identity for centuries to come. In the second century BC, the temple was desecrated by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, leader of the Seleucid Empire. In response, a Jewish man named Mattathias, who was committed to the ancient covenant of Israel, determined to rescue the temple and the nation from the invasion of the Seleucids. Mattathias became the leader of a guerrilla group that fought against the Seleucids. When he died, the leadership of this insurrectionist movement passed to his son Judas, who became known as Judas Maccabaeus, which means “the hammer.” Judas Maccabaeus became a national hero, a Hebrew Robin Hood, who wreaked havoc among the troops of the Seleucids. He put so much pressure on the Seleucids that in 164 BC they released the temple for the Jews to practice their own faith. That event was met with so much celebration that a new feast was instituted called the Feast of Dedication or the Feast of Lights. We know it as Hanukkah, which is celebrated even to this day. Later, Judas' brother Simon Maccabaeus actually drove the Seleucids out of Jerusalem altogether, and when that happened he was acclaimed a national hero and was celebrated with a parade, something like a ticker-tape parade in New York. In that parade, the Jews celebrated his victory with music and with the waving of palm branches. At that point in Jewish history, the palm branch became significant .. as a sign and symbol of a military victory, of a triumph. In fact, that symbolism became so deeply rooted in the Jewish consciousness that when the Jews revolted against the Romans in the decade of the sixties AD, they dared to mint their own coins with the image of a palm branch, because it is their national symbol of victory. When the people waved their palm branches to welcome Jesus, they cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!” (v. 13b) Why did they say this? The word hosanna is derived from a Hebrew word that literally means “save now.” Both this plea and “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD” are found in the hallel, a series of psalms that were sung every morning at the Feast of Tabernacles. The series starts with Psalm 113 and goes through Psalm 118. In Psalm 118, we find these words: Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, And I will praise the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter. I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. (vv. 19–26) Every Jewish pilgrim was familiar with the words from the hallel, so when the crowds came out to see Jesus, they naturally used those words. The plea “Save now” near the end of the quoted passage is the English translation of the root word of hosanna. The words “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD” and the additional description shouted by the people, “the King of Israel!” indicate that the people looked to Jesus for salvation, though most likely in a military sense.”John - An Expositional CommentaryR.C. SproulOUTLINESSee above.QUESTIONS TO CONSIDERWhat do I want them to know? Why do I want them to know it?What do I want them to do?Why do I want them to do it?How do they do this?DISCUSSION QUESTIONSDiscovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/Read the passage together.Retell the story in your own words.Discovery the storyWhat does this story tell me about God?What does this story tell me about people?If this is really true, what should I do?What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)Who am I going to tell about this?Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcastAlternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:Who is God?What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)What do I do? (In light of who I am)How do I do it?Final Questions (Write this down)What is God saying to you right now? What are you going to do about it?MAIN REFERENCES USED“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent HughesExalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh WredbergThe Gospels & Epistles of John, FF BruceJohn, RC SproulJohn, KöstenbergerThe Gospel According to John, DA CarsonThe Light Has Come, Leslie NewbiginThe Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.orgThe Bible Project https://bibleproject.comNicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersionClaude.aiChatGPT Google Gemini

War over Coele Syria breaks out yet again. With the death of Cleopatra I, her three very young children (Ptolemy VI, Ptolemy VIII, and Cleopatra II) are raised to the throne by their ambitious ministers Eulaios and Lenaios, who lead campaign of reconquest against Antiochus IV Epiphanes. It turns into a disaster, with the Syrian king launching two successful invasions into Egypt and besieging Alexandria. It seems the Ptolemaic kingdom is on the verge of collapse and Antiochus poised to be master of Egypt... that is unless the Roman Republic has something to say about it. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2025/03/14/106-the-sixth-syrian-war-and-day-of-eleusis/) Episode Transcript: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/105-the-sixth-syrian-war-and-day-of-eleusis.pdf) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Patreon (https://patreon.com/TheHellenisticAgePodcast) Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

Daniel 8 reveals God’s sovereign control over history, showing the rise and fall of empires and the ongoing battle between good and evil. The vision foretells the power struggles of the Medo-Persian and Greek empires, leading to the rise of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a ruler who foreshadows the Antichrist. His persecution of the Jewish people […] The post The Ram and The Goat first appeared on Redeemer Church of South Hills. The post The Ram and The Goat appeared first on Redeemer Church of South Hills.

Web Description: Hanukkah is all about the Temple of God—what had happened to defile it and what they did to cleanse it and rededicate it. We too are a temple of God. We are to be a holy place in which God can dwell. But He cannot dwell within us if we are filled with defilement. Let us do today what Hanukkah celebrates. Let us enter into the promises that God will purify us and dwell in us. Then let us rededicate ourselves to walk with Him.   Show Notes: Christians need a greater understanding of Hanukkah. It occurs around Christmas time, but it existed as a celebration long before Christians conceived of Christmas. Hanukkah is the Feast of Dedication. And it remembers the time the Temple was rededicated to God after it had been defiled by Antiochus IV Epiphanes during the Seleucid dynasty. We as Christians should regard this time of rededication to the pure worship of God as something very applicable us. The people at the time of Antiochus IV rose up and fought against the defilement, and they removed it from their midst. What was at stake was the very presence of God in the place where He chose to dwell—the Temple. We must take it just as seriously today. We must fight against everything that is coming into our lives to defile us because the issue is still the same: Will God have a place to dwell in the earth? We are to be His dwelling place. We are to be His temple. And He cannot dwell in us if our temple is defiled. This Hanukkah should be a tremendous time for all of us. It was a lot of work to remove all the objects of defilement, clean and prepare the Temple, and rededicate it to the worship of God. And it may take a lot of work to do that in our own lives. But Hanukkah means that it can happen. We can separate ourselves from the defilement of this age. We can repent and He will cleanse us. We can be that place for Him to dwell.   Key Verses: Read 1 Maccabees 4:36–59. John 10:22–24. “The Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; … and Jesus was walking in the temple.” 2 Corinthians 7:1. “Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit.” John 2:14–16. “He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature.” 1 Corinthians 6:19–20. “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.” 1 John 1:9. “He is faithful and righteous to … cleanse us.” 2 Corinthians 6:14–18. “We are the temple of the living God.” Ephesians 2:18–22. “You also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”   Quotes: “As we enter into Hanukkah ourselves and find the importance in our own lives about it, we realize we begin with an energy, with a drive in our heart that says, ‘We must remove all defilement.'” “He is holy, and He must dwell within holiness. We cannot tolerate the defilement and the uncleanness. We must remove all defilement and dedicate ourselves to being the dwelling place of God on this earth.” “We must be dedicated to the fact that He must have a holy temple called the Body of Christ in whom He will dwell, having built us up together into that dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”   Takeaways: 1. Just as the Temple had been defiled in the days of the Maccabees, today there are many people who have been defiled so that they no longer qualify as a place in which God can dwell. 2. Just as the altar and the instruments of worship had to be remade and rededicated, so this is a time for us to remake our lives in God. It is time for us to begin again and rededicate ourselves to the Lord. 3. We must put the energy into tearing down and removing that which is defiled. We must be cleansed of the defilement within ourselves, and we must rededicate our lives in service to the Lord so that we might be that place in which He will dwell.

In our final episode of 2024, we reflect on the historical, biblical, and prophetic significance of Hanukkah - the Festival of Lights.  Together, we explore the story of the Maccabean Revolt, the rededication of the temple, and how God's faithfulness preserved the Jewish people so the Messiah could come. We also uncover the deeper meaning of Hanukkah, connecting the light of the menorah to Yeshua, the Light of the World.  This season invites us all to rededicate our lives to God and embrace His faithfulness as we step into a new year. Key Takeaways: God's Faithfulness in History: Hanukkah reminds us of the Maccabees' victory over Antiochus IV Epiphanes and God's preservation of His covenant people. The Temple's Rededication: After its desecration, the Jewish people restored the temple, marking it with an eight-day celebration that still shines brightly today. A Greater Miracle: Hanukkah represents more than the oil lasting eight days—it's about God protecting His people so the Messiah's arrival could be fulfilled. The Messiah and Hanukkah: Jesus celebrated Hanukkah, as recorded in John 10, pointing to Himself as the ultimate Light and fulfillment of God's promises. A Season of Renewal: Just as the temple was rededicated, we are called to rededicate ourselves to God, becoming lights in a world that desperately needs His hope. Chapter Markers: 0:00 – Wrapping up 2024: Hanukkah and the Messiah. 5:10 – Exploring the Maccabean Revolt and God's deliverance. 15:30 – The rededication of the temple and the Festival of Lights. 23:00 – Jesus and Hanukkah: Understanding John 10. 30:15 – Rededicating our lives to God in this season. 38:50 – Gratitude and hope as we look ahead to 2025. As we celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas together, let's pause to reflect on God's unchanging faithfulness and His call for us to be lights in this world. Let's embrace this season as a time to rededicate ourselves to Him, just as the temple was rededicated so many years ago. Join us at the https://thejewishroad.com/hanukkah for resources to bring Hanukkah into your home and connect with the Jewish roots of your faith. Together, we can shine His light and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalayim!  

True Leadership and Revival (2) (audio) David Eells – 12/8/24   The great anointing of the beginning of the Latter Rain is coming for the purpose of first empowering the Man-child, who will then be used to bring the Bride into her ordained calling. It will be as it was in Jesus' time where John said of Jesus' disciples in Joh.3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom…. The anointing of wisdom and knowledge and power of Jesus will be theirs for He lives in them. Glenn H. Jackson received just such a prophecy in July 2006. (This speaks of the anointing of the Man-child reformers.) Jesus said, “I am going to ‘bring you up' with Me for a time, My beloved one, and I shall show you supernaturally in this time all that you need to be shown and truly I say to you, you will never be the same and I shall lay My hands upon you and thus I shall ‘impart' to you the ‘special anointing' that shall enable (empower) you to carry out powerfully and gloriously every facet of My will for your life and ministry and you shall help ‘elevate' My Church to the place that I have called her to! Do not fear, My beloved one, only put yourself in a position continually to receive all that I have for you!” The Jewish Feast of Hanukkah typifies the time of the anointing of the Man-child at the beginning of the Tribulation in order to spread that anointing throughout the Bride and the larger Church. Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and nights, starting on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. [In 2024, 5,6,7,8, Hanukkah starts at nightfall on Dec 25th or Christmas, when the world celebrates the birth of Jesus, the Man-child. Jesus was really born in the fall when the shepherds, who visited the birth, were still in the field with their sheep.]  Hanukkah is a Hebrew word meaning “dedication”. It celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the Grecian beast kingdom of 165 B.C. and the rededication of the Temple that had been defiled by that kingdom. Their situation typifies the same spiritual situation we are seeing presently in the Church. The beast kingdom of this world has defiled the Temple of God's people with its thinking and ways. The Hellenists, who were a type of the worldly Christian and their leaders, felt that their brethren were not a modern sophisticated society like the Greeks and so did everything they could to merge Israel into the Grecian beast kingdom in culture and thought. As a true type, the light of the menorah of Israel was put out during those days when God's people indulged in the lukewarm darkness of the world even as today in spiritual Israel, the Church. The Maccabees were a priestly family of Jews whom God used to cast off the bondage of Antiochus IV Epiphanes at the head of the beast kingdom. Judas Maccabaeus and his army recaptured Jerusalem and reconsecrated the temple. We are told that he wanted to light the menorah of the Temple but they had only one small flask of oil, which would last for about a day. God answered their prayers with a miracle and the oil lasted for eight days. The Feast of Hanukkah celebrates this miracle of the multiplication of the oil for the light of the Temple, which is now the people of God. Hanukkah is also called the “Feast of Lights”. As Jesus told His disciples, “Ye are the light of the world” (Mat. 5:14). The one small flask of oil was a remnant in Israel and represents the Lord Jesus birthed in the anointed Man-child of our day. The first seven days of Hanukkah represent the miraculous revival of that light through the Church in the seven day/years of the Tribulation. This was symbolized by the lighting of the Temple menorah, a seven-branched lampstand representing the seven Churches. Jesus, as a type of the Man-child, was circumcised eight days after His birth, symbolizing the cutting off of the flesh on the eighth day/year, called the Day of the Lord. This will be after seven day/years of the Man-child's Tribulation ministry when the old body is cut off and the new body is received. I do not know if the First-fruits Man-child will be anointed during the Feast of Hanukkah but God is still about to fulfill that sign in the days to come by rededicating the New Testament Temple and multiplying the oil of the First-fruits Man-child in them. As Jesus multiplied His anointing through His apostolic witnesses to the larger Church, so the Man-child will multiply that anointing through end-time witnesses to miraculously restore the light of the Church. On the evening of the 24th of Kislev begins Hanukkah on the 25th when Haggai was told by the Lord that He would bless them “from this day” by shaking the heavens and earth and breaking the power of the nations over them, sending them into the wilderness tribulation behind the man-child. Hag.2:10 In the four and twentieth [day] of the ninth [month-Kislev], in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet... 19 ...from this day will I bless [you]. 20 And the word of Jehovah came the second time unto Haggai in the four and twentieth [day] of the month (Kislev), saying, 21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; (During the 8 day/years of Tribulation/Day of the Lord. Also, our dreams show the New Madrid goes off at the time of the birth and anointing of the Man-child ministry.) 22 and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; (Kingdoms of Deep State Babylon fall to the One World empire of Cyrus as a type of Trump.) and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. (This is as when Egypt's power was broken over the called-out ones of Israel as they went into the wilderness tribulation to learn to walk by faith in God. At this time Israel was led by their Man-child, Moses, who is being typed here as the first-fruits Zerubbabel, meaning “born from Babylon”. War may very well cover their flight into the wilderness.) 23 In that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith Jehovah, and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee, saith Jehovah of hosts. Notice “In that day” of Hanukkah, Zerubbabel will be a signet, which is a seal of authority such as kings have. The Man-child will come with the authority of God to bring God's people out of bondage to the world and through the wilderness tribulation. Also on this day the foundation of the Lord's house, not made with man's hands, is laid again after a great falling away since the time of the Apostles. Hag.2:18 Consider, I pray you, from this day and backward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth [month], since the day that the foundation of Jehovah's temple was laid, consider it. It is through the shaking of the nations in the tribulation that God's “desired” people come out of them to become the temple of peace. 2:7 and I will shake all nations; and the precious (Hebrew: desired) things (Not Numeric) of all nations shall come (Jesus); and I will fill this house with glory, saith Jehovah of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith Jehovah of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, saith Jehovah of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith Jehovah of hosts. In the former rain, Jesus, the Man-child, laid the foundation of the former glory house. 1 Cor.3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. So also in the latter rain, Jesus in Zerubbabel, as a type of the Man-child, will lay the foundation of the latter, greater glory house. Zec.4:9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you”. Notice this verse is saying that it is the Lord who is coming in Zerubbabel (first-fruits born from Babylon) to build the house of God.     Man-child Sends out the Witnesses Amos Scaggs (David's notes in red) I received a vision from the Lord showing two stages of His work in and through His last day disciples. The first stage was these modern disciples were being gathered, including myself. Preparations had been made well in advance by the Lord. We were adequately taken care of and our needs were met without asking. We gathered together in fields, feasting and listening to JESUS while he taught us his ways. (This is a repetition of history. Jesus, manifested in the first-fruits/man-child, will teach and protect the disciples for the first three and one half years of the tribulation just as it was in the Gospels. They will be trained to be his witnesses and signs and wonders will follow their teaching just as it was with the first disciples.) We were going through different parts of the world but seemed to be in the same field. (“the field is the world”) We were also given protection well in advance. We were being given monetary things from Christians who believed in and were sympathetic to our cause but stayed in their prosperous communities. They were good people and kind to us. When we left this first teaching stage, they even came to see us off on our journey. (These brethren were not called to be among the Man-child or witnesses, who are God's apostles to raise up the end-time Church but they are called to support these ministers. Just as the witnesses were handpicked by Jesus in the Gospels, so it will be this time.) The second stage was that we were gathered into groups of two's and three's and being sent out into the world. Some would never return to see their families ever again. (Some will have translation powers and may return that way.) We were being sent into different groups and then being dispersed. One had the same spirit and anointing as John. Another had the same spirit and anointing as Peter. Another had the same spirit and anointing of James and so forth. (The two witnesses who have the spirits of Moses and Elijah also have the spirits of the Apostles. As Jesus sent out the corporate two witnesses two by two in the Gospels and then in the Book of Acts, so in our day will the Man-child send out the corporate two witnesses. They will give their life to raise up the Church and the true five-fold ministries according to type.) I also saw two rich people that were in government power. These were two older friends who partially raised me when I was younger and have been dead for 30-40 plus years. He was the Lt. Governor of Ohio and his wife. I was finishing up some meaningless work that I was doing for them so I could leave in a rush. She said, “I will have a baby by another means if you won't help me.” He said, “It will have to be by other means because I can't help you”. She said, “I think I'll have one by a Cherokee.” (The woman here is a remnant of the apostate Church, which will realize that it could not bring forth the fruit of Christ through their patriotic, allegiance to their husband, the beast government, so it will be done by “other means”. The Cherokee represent the witnesses who, like them will hold tenaciously to the roots of their forefathers, the apostles and Christ Himself. The Cherokee are an oppressed minority who live in camps separate from the world representing these coming witnesses of primitive Christianity. These will rise up and sow the seed of their forefathers into the apostate Church to bring forth the fruit of Jesus in them. These are a weak people in themselves who lost their land to the American beast but have held to the “Great Spirit” whose power will bring the true Church back to her roots.) Amos goes on, I thought the Cherokee child would be born mature as Adam was. (God will do a very quick work in His people. Rom.9:28 for the Lord will execute [his] word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short.)   Latter Rain Anointing Rex V. - 06/05/2005 (David's notes in red) While asleep, I heard a voice say: “Remember the linen ephod and the number 6427”. A few minutes later I heard the voice say the same thing again. I began to think about the number; then the third time I heard, “Don't forget the linen ephod and the number 6427”. The ephod was a garment made of linen, woven with gold, purple, blue and scarlet in Exo.28:4 And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a coat of checker work, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. (An ephod was a sacred vestment worn by the high priests (Exo. 28:4-14, 31-35; 25:7; 39:5). It was used as a prophetic mantle by David in the wilderness to know what Saul's armies were doing so that God's people would escape him (1Sa.23:9-14). Saul represents the old-order leadership that is keeping God's people in bondage to Babylonish religion. God spoke to me many years ago that, “I am moving the Sauls out of the way to make room for my Davids and you are one of my Davids”. Saul's death represented the spiritual death of the old-order leadership as they opposed David. This prophetic mantle was worn by David when He brought the ark to Jerusalem in 2Sa.6:14 …and David was girded with a linen ephod. And he said “let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we sought not unto it in the days of Saul” (1 Chr.13:3). The Saul ministries of our day do not have the presence of the Lord in their midst nor do they seek his direction. This prophetic mantle was used by David for wisdom and direction to conquer beast armies who had captured God's people in 1Sa.30:7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake them, and shalt without fail recover all. Jesus was the Son of David who received the anointed mantle to be the Man-child of His day for the first 3 1/2 years of their tribulation. God is saying through Rex's revelation that He is about to return the mantle of the ephod, which is a prophetic anointing for the spiritual seed of David in our day, to begin our tribulation. It will be for wisdom and direction to deliver God's people from bondage to the Sauls and the beast system.) Rex: I felt impressed that the numbers 6427 represented Isaiah 64:2-7, which says, 2 as when fire kindleth the brushwood, [and] the fire causeth the waters to boil; to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! (As in Jesus' day, God is about to reveal his name, i.e. nature, character, and authority, manifest initially in His first fruits Man-child, and then in His disciples. This will bring judgment to the beast kingdom of this world. He will be seen in the earth again, manifested in His people.) 3 When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains quaked at thy presence. 4 For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for him. (Jesus said He was coming again manifested in a Man-child born to a woman church who is in travail in Joh 16:19-22 Jesus perceived that they were desirous to ask him, and he said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold me not, and again a little while, and ye shall see me? 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a man is born into the world. 22 And ye therefore now have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one taketh away from you. He said he would come as the latter rain on the morning of the third day in Hos 6:1 Come, and let us return unto Jehovah; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. 3 And let us know, let us follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth. Notice Jesus is coming as the latter rain and this will be on the Man-child reformers. We are now at the morning of the third, thousand-year day when Jesus will come in His saints before He comes for His saints. He said He would come to minister to His flock when the Man-child is born in Mic 5:3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she who travaileth hath brought forth: then the residue of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. 4 And he shall stand, and shall feed his flock in the strength of Jehovah, in the majesty of the name of Jehovah his God: and they shall abide; for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. He will work for those who have waited by faith for their help from above. The first tribulation judgment will be the white horse rider, whose words from God will spread the latter rain. This is the first fruits Man-child ministry, for those who are now awaiting this anointing to shake the earth.) Going on in 5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways (An obedient first fruits company is about to meet their Lord face to face.): behold, thou wast wroth, and we sinned: in them [have we been] of long time; and shall we be saved? 6 For we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment: and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us by means of our iniquities. (As in Jesus' day many have waited “of long time” to see God once again do His mighty works in the earth and now God is about to answer the prayers of those who are waiting in faith. Like in Jesus' day, many are waiting for their provisions, healings, and deliverances from the curses upon this world. God is about to answer in this way which perfectly repeats history (Ecc.1:9). Because of unfaithfulness to the Word, the ephod was absent from Israel - who lived in her sins “of long time”. So it has been with the Church. Hos.3:1 And Jehovah said unto me, Go again, love a woman beloved of [her] friend, and an adulteress, even as Jehovah loveth the children of Israel, though they turn unto other gods, and love cakes of raisins. The King of Babylon (Isa.14:4,12-13) that the adulteress Church has loved is none other than Satan who said, “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God (who are Abraham's seed in Gen.22:17); and I will sit on the mount of the congregation”. Christianity has been a harlot bribed by God so that she will even profess Him for “many days”. 2 So I bought her to me for fifteen [pieces] of silver, and a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley; 3 and I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be any man's wife: so will I also be toward thee. For almost 2000 years Christianity has been missing anointed, Christ-like leadership. 4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without pillar, and without ephod or teraphim: These are the days when God's people will return from Babylon to the city of God, heavenly Jerusalem. 5 afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek Jehovah their God, and David their king, and shall come with fear unto Jehovah and to his goodness in the latter days. These are “the last days” when New Testament Israel will “return, and seek Jehovah their God, and David their king” who will be anointed with the ephod of God to lead them. This anointing will be passed on to them as they present their bodies as living sacrifices and they will shake the earth. Glory to the living God!)     The Greater Anointing Is Coming Amos Scaggs - 06/03/2007 (David's notes in red) The separation is coming. I saw a new bottle of HD (high detergent) oil opened and the top portion poured out on the ground, as if to skim off the impurities. The major portion of it was to be poured into the oil tank where it belongs. The top portion was skimmed off to make sure there was no impurities mixed with the oil, although there were no impurities in the new oil. A little of God's anointing oil is being poured out on the earth now among all believers, even the ones with impurities in them, but the two will soon separate to expose the true vine. The separation to expose the false believers is happening. The balance of the oil is to be poured out upon the true believers to do His work. “HD” or Harley Davidson dominated the 1/2 mile dirt track races in my time. The HD oil was poured in for the final run to win the race. Yes, I am a Harley rider, although I used to ride the fast Japanese bikes. God communicates to us in a fashion so we can understand. (I guess the small amount of oil poured on the earth is for the earthly Christians and the great amount poured in the engine is for the anointed to win the race to the end. High Detergent oil is for cleaning up engines, too. Pour the whole bottle on me, Lord! I need to keep this engine running. :o)     True and False Leadership Seen Jan Albayalde (David's notes in red) I dreamed the following two dreams back to back on 08/28/2007. The Fasting Dream I was sitting on the front row of a huge church that was the true church of the Lord Jesus. The Church was very plain with white walls with a little wood trim but nothing ornate and no stained glass. A man I don't know walked to the podium to address the people. He was a small man in stature, almost frail. He said just a couple words, called forward a large man who was about his age, around 45, had him face the crowd and began to introduce him. Suddenly, the man at the podium fell on the floor weeping under the presence of God. At the same time, the man standing to be introduced, who was a Jew in a business suit with an azure blue shirt, was also filled with the Spirit and began speaking in tongues. This man was slightly overweight, let's say he was hearty with a rosy robust complexion. He had a lot of snow-white hair, so much I'm sure the Lord wanted me to notice (i.e., it was very high on his head). I rushed forward to help the man on the floor but before I got to him, as I passed the man speaking in tongues, I became filled with the Spirit, fell on my knees, and began worshipping God. A man in the congregation, a man I DO know as pastor of a local church here, came forward, looked at the man weeping on the floor, the Jew speaking in tongues, me worshipping, and said, “This is what happens when you fast and pray; this man on the floor had been in a long fast before the Lord, seeking the face of God and is why the power and glory of God are falling”. An interesting thing about the dream: the man at the podium who had been fasting and fell weeping on the floor was dressed in a suit as he stood, but when I rushed forward to help him, as I fell to my knees under the anointing, I saw he was naked. (The man standing behind the pulpit was fasting to weaken the old outer man and so he fell. He was small because “the outer man is decaying yet our inner man is renewed day by day” (2 Cor.4:16). The man introduced represented the new inner man because he had gained what the outer man had lost. He stood in the fast and had a lot of perfectly white hair, meaning much submission to holiness. As in 1 Cor.11:1, the hair is a sign of submission to authority. He had a blue shirt representing heavenly works. He is the spiritual man because he spoke the words of the spirit and is a spiritual Jew because he is circumcised in heart, not flesh. Fasting is so that the old man, who is naked, because he is not dressed up with the works of Christ can be removed so that the new man who is dressed up with Christ in his heavenly works would face the congregation. (Rom 13:12-14 The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.) This is a good exhortation for the coming new Church leadership to deny feeding self and pray so that Christ through them can minister to His people.     The Snake Dream Immediately after the above dream, I dreamed this: I was in my spirit looking down over an orchard of pure white trees which represents the true Church. A huge green snake with huge muted splotches of black along its body appeared at the edge of the grove of white trees. From this point I no longer saw the trees, the focus was on the snake. Next, the snake turned totally blue. Then the snake turned totally black. End of dream. (The green snake is the false leadership of the church or false prophet. In Acts 16:16 the spirit of false prophecy or divination is translated in Greek as “a spirit; a python”. It is green because it is the natural man ministering and not the spiritual. He stands outside of the white or holy trees but not in their midst for he is not holy. The black splotches represent its works of darkness that are plainly seen. His turning blue as a chameleon represents deception in that he is attempting to be seen as heavenly but he serves the (black) darkness and will be seen that way. God is raising up a new leadership for the true church that refuses to feed the flesh (fasting) and the old leadership will be plainly seen for what it has been all along. They will bring a great persecution against the holy as it was with the Pharisees in Jesus' time.)     Unity Coming to the True Body Brandon Corsi - 03/01/2008 (David's notes in red) In my dream, my friend (a friend in real life). and I were in a shopping mall of some sort, purchasing some items. (This symbolizes the 'buying and selling' done in the 'merchandising' church.) We noticed two little girls fighting over some kind of object, I think a stuffed animal, and they were each tugging at it. (The immature children in the church squabble over relatively insignificant doctrines and things.) The next moment, my friend and I were in front of a large group of young children, and the two girls were among the crowd. Their attention was directed toward us. One of the girls who was arguing earlier spoke up and asked us what Jesus would have said about the disagreement they had. (Some of the immature will be convicted of their petty divisions and seek the wisdom of the unity of body from those who know better.) My friend and I looked at each other, both of us amazed that such a young child was inquiring about Jesus. Then, all of the children started to sing a song about Jesus in unison, in perfect harmony, as if the anointing came over them. My friend and I looked at each other once more in astonishment. We said to each other, “I can't believe it”. Then the anointing came over me from watching them, and it was very strong. It was so strong that I began to cry, and then I knelt down on my knees and laid my hands on the ground in front of me as an act of submission to God. (The unity of the true body will come then by the anointing of God in a surprising way.) A moment later, my friend and I were in the cockpit of a plane (overcoming the world) that was crashing into the side of a snowy mountain. (The purity of the Kingdom of God.) I said to him, “I guess we don't have to wait any longer to meet God”. (Death to self through overcoming the world brings us into God's presence.) I was very scared, and it seemed so real. Along with intense fear, I remember feeling a bit excited and anxious to meet my Maker, thankful the time was finally here. I prayed to God as we descended. And then we crashed, and I woke up, thankful to be alive. (Resurrection life comes through death to self as we wake up in a new Kingdom.)     Promise of Return to New Leadership Eve Brast - 07/25/2015 (David's notes in red) I dreamed I was in a building with many connecting rooms. (The body is many houses made into one.) I was going around and checking on all the local UBM brethren and talking with them. There was a huge waterslide that many children were playing on in this building. (This building could represent the body of Christ all being connected to one another and the waterslide the water of life that keeps us connected.) After I finished talking with a brother, I went out and got in my car to drive back into town. (My car is a Mazda Protégé. The meaning of protégé is: “A person who receives support and protection from an influential patron who furthers the protégé's career”. We are disciples and protégés of Christ.) It was early morning (the morning of the third day) and the road was a freshly paved, narrow, two-lane blacktop road with a newly painted double yellow line down the center. (Meaning, “Stay to the right where the sheep are.  The freshly paved road represents the Highway of Holiness. The narrow road of a holy life.) Suddenly, I realized that David Eells was in the passenger seat of my car with his Bible in his lap. He said, “I'll bet they're thinking that I'm going to send a word over there to them”. I asked, “Well, what is it?” And he said, “Psalm 85!” (I believe David here represents the Son of David, Jesus (in the Man-child), and he was referring to the UBM brethren when he said “them” because I had just left them in the building to head back into town.) He then started to hand me his Bible and I just casually took my hands off of the steering wheel and took the Bible, as the car continued to drive itself as if this was normal. As I was looking up Psalm 85, I was thinking, “Psalm 85 and verse 13”. Psa.85:13 Righteousness shall go before him, And shall make his footsteps a way to walk in. (This verse is referring to the Man-child ministers.) Then I woke up. (This first part is about the captivity returning and the last part is about God giving them the Man-child leadership.) Psa.85:1 Jehovah, thou hast been favorable unto thy land; Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. 2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people (Some are coming out of fleshly, beast captivity now and some later, as it was in the history of Israel.); Thou hast covered all their sin. (Because of repentance and faith towards God.) 3 Thou hast taken away all thy wrath; Thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. 4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, And cause thine indignation toward us to cease. 5 Wilt thou be angry with us forever? Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? 6 Wilt thou not quicken us again, (revival) That thy people may rejoice in thee? 7 Show us thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, And grant us thy salvation. 8 I will hear what God Jehovah will speak; For he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: But let them not turn again to folly (which would bring captivity). 9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him, That glory may dwell in our land. 10 Mercy and truth are met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11 Truth springeth out of the earth; And righteousness hath looked down from heaven. 12 Yea, Jehovah will give that which is good; And our land shall yield its increase. 13 Righteousness shall go before him, And shall make his footsteps a way to walk in. (Man-child ministry will be an example.)   Vision: Religions Serve Religious Spirits Tim Mathis Several years ago, I found myself in the middle of an open vision. As I looked, I could see the backs of a crowd of people to my left. They were intently looking in the same direction away from me. It was obvious they were engaged in worship--some with hands raised, some with bowed heads, and most were singing. I watched myself disappear into the crowd and reappear dragging a dead person by the collar. I dragged the person across the street and laid him on his back with his head against the curb. I continued to enter and reappear with more dead people until there was a long line of bodies lying side by side along the curb. All at once, I began to weep over them because they were dead. Then, I walked out before them, raised my hands and spoke over them. I could not hear what was said, but immediately, they all sat up. For the next few minutes, they began to recover and make their way, one by one, to a standing position. It took some longer than others, but eventually, they were all standing. As their recovery process was proceeding, I disappeared once again into the throng and began dragging more dead people out. When those from the first group were able to stand and then walk, they joined me in dragging more and more bodies out of the throng. Each time the area along the curb was full, I stepped forward, raised my arms and spoke. The whole line of bodies would sit up alive, work their way to a standing position, and eventually help us in our work. Before long, my view began to pan back to see the extent of the crowd worshiping off to my left. There were hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, gathered around a circular object in the middle. This object was domed toward its center and was turning very slowly around, much like a merry-go-round. It emanated a bright light that the people worshiped. At the center of the object stood a brilliant angel with his arms outstretched receiving the adoration of the crowd. The people were worshiping the angel in a myriad of worship styles and traditions, from the solemn to the exuberant. As I looked closer, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to see that the angel was not an angel of light after all but a dark angel appearing as an angel of light. The people were worshipping this dark angel, not knowing that it was a spirit of false religion. Then, Father showed me what it meant: The crowds of people were not the throngs of some cult religion. Rather, they were major portions of the Church of Jesus Christ upon the earth. They were actively involved in their own methods of worship without regard for the source of the light. They were going about their church business--some vigorously, some lethargically--but all with some level of commitment. Most of the worship and church business was being done out of guilt without a true and intimate relationship with the one honored. These are the religious lost. I was sent into the crowd to retrieve those who had died in the middle of worship of the dark angel. They were the ones who KNEW they were dead, not those who thought that their religious activities still held some life. This is a picture of the people and denominations that no longer make any hypocritical pretense of spirituality. They knew there was no life there and they had become desperate for the return of the Holy Spirit breathing life into their dried bones. It is a mystery how I knew which ones to drag out of the crowd, though it was evident this identification came from the Holy Spirit. The act of speaking to the dead bodies brought them back to life. This pictures the mission statement of Jesus when He read Isaiah 61 for those gathered in the temple. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19 KJV). As the people became whole enough to stand, they were immediately put to work dragging more dead out of the crowd and bringing others to wholeness. A spirit of false religion, that is, witchcraft, has deceived much of the Church. This spirit appears as an angel of light, but its true motivation is binding the worshipers in darkness. I began to understand that the spirit of witchcraft was manifesting in the Church as control and religious spirits, using manipulation and false spiritual authority. Well-meaning leaders had taken control of the sheep in an effort to keep them on the path of righteousness. However, this control and manipulation is what keeps the Church impotent as an army and distances them from the One with Whom an intimate relationship should be developed. The man-made religious system designed to maintain the sheep is the very thing that has drained out the power and intimacy of the Body of Christ. Our mission is made crystal clear in this vision: to reach into the organized religious system and bring out those who have been made desperate to know the life-giving breath of the Living God in spite of the bondage of their doctrine and in spite of their theological training. The harvesters miraculously find those who are dead and desperate, raise them from the dead, and the Lord of the Harvest sends them into the harvest fields to bring the true light of salvation and wholeness to the multitudes who will otherwise die in their deceptive religious stupor.   Set Free By the Real Jesus B.A. - 08/01/2013 (Notes: David | Ellie) This dream is prophetic. Many are going to hear the Word of truth from anointed people of God and they will recognize it, as many did in Jesus' day. They will depart from Babylon and its whoredoms. Keep praying and believing for your lost loved ones, saints. The day is drawing near. I dreamed that it was Sunday evening (darkness) and my husband, Allen, was sitting in the family room watching TV. Being an obedient wife, I went into the family room to serve him his dinner. I glanced up at the TV screen and I saw a preacher standing at a podium and I noticed that the podium was monogrammed. (A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos.) (Monograms identify people and belongings: Joh.8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. Rom.6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?) I thought that was very odd; I've never seen that before. Then I noticed that this preacher's suit, tie, the collar of his dress shirt, and wing-tip shoes (representing unclean spirits) were also monogrammed. As I served my husband his dinner, he said, “Hey, sit down for a while and watch this with me”. Well, I really didn't want to do that, but just then I heard in my spirit, “It's okay, go ahead and sit down. You are protected by the blood of Jesus”. So I obeyed and sat down. 1Pe.1:2 …in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:… I noticed immediately that this man's face looked funny. I asked my husband, “Does that man's face look funny to you?” He studied the man's face and then said, “I don't think so. Why? What's funny about his face?” I got up and said, “Oh, that's okay. Hand me your dirty dishes”. So he gave me his dirty dishes and I took them into the kitchen to be washed. As I was standing at the kitchen sink, I began to pray for my husband and I realized what was wrong with that man's face. His nose was spread wide across his face, distorting his features and my husband didn't appear to notice. A week went by and again it was Sunday evening and my husband was watching this same TV preacher. I went to serve my husband his dinner and he said to me, “Sit and watch with me for a while”. So I did and I noticed upon closer observation that not only was this man's nose unusually wide across his face, but it was rather long for a human nose. Again, I asked my husband, “Do you notice anything strange about that man's face?” Again he studied the man's features and then said, “Well, there is something different about him but I'm not sure what it is”. I gathered up the dirty dishes and got up and took them into the kitchen to clean up. This same scenario played out for a few more weeks. Then one day I was taking my husband his lunch (lunch is usually served around noon, representing no shadows). Psa 37:6 And he will make thy righteousness to go forth as the light, And thy justice as the noon-day. I noticed that he was watching a much younger man (Man-child) on TV. As I was serving my husband his lunch, he said, “Sit down and watch with me; this man's message is really good”. So I did. As I listened to this young man, my heart leaped for joy, as this young man's words were so familiar to me; they were the TRUE GOSPEL and the REAL GOOD NEWS! I sat there and watched with my husband until the program was over. Php.4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice. Psa.40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: Let such as love thy salvation say continually, Jehovah be magnified. I said to my husband, “Wow, he was really good!” and my husband said, “Yeah, I liked him, too. He was different and there was something about him that just drew me to him”. I got up to take our dishes to the kitchen and tears of joy were running down my face, as I realized that the Father had revealed His Son, the real Jesus, to my husband. Joh.6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. As I was standing in the kitchen washing the dishes, my husband came in very excited and said, “I need to call Daniel McBride and talk to him about this”. I said, “Okay”, but I was a bit puzzled as to why my husband wanted to call Daniel. (In the natural, my husband does not know Daniel. I believe the Lord used Daniel because Daniel represents one who walks by faith and not by sight, as he had spiritual eyes to see.) My husband went into the den and picked up the phone and called him. When Daniel answered the phone, my husband said, “Hi, Dan. This is Allen and I need to tell you something”. As Allen began to explain this young man preaching the Gospel on TV to him, Daniel stopped him and took him to some Scripture, read it to him and asked, “Is this who you saw?” Allen said, “It could be. I'm not real sure”. Daniel took him to more Scripture and asked, “Is this him?” Allen said, “It sounds like it is”. Then Daniel quoted more Scripture and then asked, “Okay, Allen, is this him?” Allen shouted, “That's him! That's him! That's the man!” (The true, sent minister of God has Jesus or the WORD living in Him.) Then I heard my husband tell Daniel, “You know, my wife and I were watching a TV preacher who has a Sunday evening program and my wife mentioned that this man had a strange face” (he didn't look like Jesus). “I didn't see it at first but now I do” (his spiritual eyes were opened by the real Jesus Who spoke the truth of the real Gospel from the beginning). “I know what's strange about that man: he has a Pinocchio nose. And as the story goes, we know Pinocchio's nose grew longer (Exposing his sin) every time he told a lie.” (Which represents the false apostate leadership today.) Joh.8:32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Upon hearing my husband's exclamation, I ran to get my cell phone and called Dan's wife, Ellie. When Ellie answered the phone, I asked, “Ellie, did you hear that? Did you hear what Dan and Allen were saying?” Ellie said, “Yes, I did and praise the Lord!” I said, “Oh, yes! Praise the Lord, as my husband can now recognize the REAL Jesus!”  End of dream. 36 If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.   Dream of the Two Witnesses Daniel Potvin (David's notes in red) I was in a Middle Eastern place, possibly in Israel, a desert environment. I saw a group of men standing around, discussing an empty grave, mentioning that one of their patriarchs was missing. I had the impression they were Israelites. (These people who are observing represent New Testament Israel, the Church, who are circumcised in heart not flesh and know that Jesus was their patriarch Who was resurrected. They are about to enter into the desert wilderness of tribulation, worldwide.) They began looking up at the sky. As they were looking up, I saw great fear come over their faces. I looked up as well and saw two men coming down from the sky dressed in sackcloth. We all instinctively knew that these men were Moses and Elijah. Elijah landed first and within seconds, Moses landed. (Obviously, Moses and Elijah are not going to physically come down from the sky but their holy anointing will be born from above into the hearts of men who will then return the fear of the Lord to the Church as the Lord also interprets at the end of this dream. This will happen the same way that it happened when Jesus walked the earth. Peter said that Jesus was the “prophet” that Moses said would come - just like he did in Act.3:22 Moses indeed said, A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me. To him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you. 23 And it shall be, that every soul that shall not hearken to that prophet, shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. In Hebrews 3:5-6, Paul compared Jesus to Moses in that both were heads of their houses. As a type for the end-times, Jesus raised up a corporate body of two witnesses that went forth two by two and confessed several times that they were His witnesses. He said to them, “The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit and are life”. Jesus sowed the Word of the spirit and life of Moses and Elijah into the two witnesses of His day. The great patriarch that was resurrected from the grave and caught up in this dream, returns as the spirit of Elijah and Moses first in the Man-child of our day. Moses and Elijah individually are types of the Man-child but combined they are types of the two witnesses. As it was with Jesus, the Man-child will sow this seed and anointing in the corporate body of the two witnesses of our day. We shouldn't confuse types here. In another type, Jesus revealed that John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah. Although John preached repentance as Elijah did, he spoke no miracles or judgments like Elijah. The prophetic difference for our time between these two separate manifestations of Elijah is that one came before the Man-child, Jesus, and a much greater group came after Him. The later manifestation is accompanied by Moses' and Elijah's miracles and the judgments they pronounced. John represented those in our day who come before the Man-child and faithfully preach repentance but the miracles and judgments will come through the Man-child and the witnesses afterwards.) Back to Daniel's dream: We also knew instinctively that if these two men were impeded or restrained in any way by any individual, the consequence would be death. As Elijah and Moses started to walk, the men dispersed on either side, like the parting of the Red Sea, for their own safety, as if to recognize the holiness of these men. This is the strange part of the dream. I well knew that I could be killed by touching either of these two men. I thought to myself, ‘This man Moses was just in the presence of God Himself.' So I hugged him. I waited for the consequence of my actions and saw in his face that it was permitted by God and I was spared. He smiled and then walked his way. (Only those who are holy among God's people will both love and have no fear of the anointing of the witnesses. These witnesses will have the total protection of God until they are finished with their testimony. Rev.11:5 And if any man desireth to hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies; and if any man shall desire to hurt them, in this manner must he be killed. 6 These have the power to shut the heaven, that it rain not during the days of their prophecy: and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they shall desire. 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.) Elijah and Moses went on separate paths into the desert. Two different groups followed each man. They each set a tabernacle (podium) and started preaching to their respective crowds. Immediately, a bleacher appeared behind me, so I sat down and started to listen to what they had to say. (I was at a distance witnessing the whole of both groups). (This symbolizes that two corporate bodies will receive the anointing of both Moses and Elijah. You will notice in the above text from Revelation that all of the witnesses had power to do both the signs common to Moses and the signs common to Elijah; not some, ‘the signs of Moses' and some, ‘the signs of Elijah'. These witnesses will not only bring repentance, miracles, healing, deliverance, and provision to the body like the witnesses of Jesus did but will also bring the miracles and judgments of Moses and Elijah.) Appearing beside me was a beautiful woman who started talking to me. I ignored her because I wanted to hear what Moses and Elijah had to say. Her words then turned into flattery, saying how special I was and what a great guy I was. As I continued to ignore her, her flatteries became more flirtatious. As I turned to her, I wondered why she was doing this because I wanted to listen to the preaching and she was distracting. So I told her, “I am trying to listen to these men of God”. I turned my attention back to the preaching. She then responded with a sexual proposal: “I would not stop you if you want to have me”. (The harlot of apostate Christianity, who receives the seed of men and not her husband, will attempt to seduce many from hearing the witnesses with her flesh-pleasing doctrines.) As the dream ended, I asked the Lord, “Who is this woman?” The Lord replied, “Jezebel”. And then I heard from God that Jezebel hates men who have the anointing of Elijah and Moses. (Notice that the way the Lord uses “men” here is to indicate many. He didn't use “the men” which could indicate two. The Jezebel harlot of Christianity, worldwide, will seek to hinder the witnesses who are also a worldwide body.) PS: It is beyond my words how to describe how Technicolor and vivid this dream was. It felt as if I actually met Moses and Elijah.     Your Way Is Marked Sandy Warner - 10/17/2005 I have heard your anxious worries over walking to the tune of My Spirit and walking with others of like minds. I know who and what has been missing in your life, dear one. I understand the pain. You have been sent like a pioneer into non-charted territory and few have walked this way. They have not recognized this great drive that is within you to see what is beyond the next valley. Come walk with Me. Your way is greatly protected and sheltered. I have given you My Word which you have hidden in your heart. I have covered you and shaded you. Resist carrying too much weight, dear one, for such encumbers your way. Instead, travel light and easy and become so sensitive to My leading that I can lead you with My eye. Look up, change your focus, for it is faith that causes you to rise above all that encumbers you. You belong to Me, My love. I belong to you. Fear not, for your prepared way has an impenetrable fence against the dogs or wolves who devour and bite. I am taking you cross-country and bringing you along the path of laurels, the overcoming ones. Also, you need not fear deception from the wolves, for I have paved the trail before you. Your path is well marked with signs of My Word liberally sprinkled to your right and to your left. I have also sent others before you and they have given much in order to leave a trail of breadcrumbs and seeds for you, My precious hungry birds. And even as you have followed the signs and been faithful with what I have given you, you shall be promoted. I will send you into the marketplace to release My Words to those who are starving and, yes, they will listen. In the past, they did not heed My Word and grew hungry while they walked in circles. You are My chosen generation who walked ahead of them. You shall walk out of the wilderness pioneering, leaning upon your Beloved. A great company travels with you and you shall never be alone again. (SoS.8:5-7 NKJV) Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There she who bore you brought you forth. Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly despised.     The Worm Has Turned Graham - 08/04/2005 The worm has turned. The poor, and the downtrodden are about to rise. This new hour about to dawn is all about the Hidden Manna. Those who receive this ('the love of the truth') will be kept from the hour which is to try every man on earth, The Hidden Manna is Jesus Himself - His spirit. This truth answers all the scriptural questions about 'the restrainer', the reason for the tribulation, why there are believers mentioned in the tribulation time, why the Holy Spirit will be present during that time, the parable of the ten virgins, etc. I wrote the following recently on a Christian board: There is a great change coming, and people will again see the real 'power' (for want of a better word) of true gentleness. It will be in the Hidden Manna which will be so delightful to the heart that you'll feel that you've eaten the whole Bible in a few words. You will never be the same again, and you will understand how Jesus walked in the truth like you've never known before. You'll see miracles happen, but these will not mean as much to you as knowing the Lord even closer and closer. This Hidden Manna will sanctify the body/the flesh - that which presently holds sincere Christians back from gaining the victories that they so long for. The arrogant in the church will either withdraw or soften their hearts - there will be great consternation for many who have become hardened and thereby (sadly) destroyed many enquirers. There will be such a natural humility, understanding, and harmony that will baffle all the powers of darkness, and as “the city rejoiceth when the wicked are overthrown”, so the true sincere believers will rejoice to see the Lord working to overthrow the strongholds of the enemy. For that is what the Hidden Manna is - it is Jesus Himself. We will be one with Him as we have never known before. Worship will gradually become different. Just as a person may quietly within themselves admire someone seated at the same table - so worship will become so quiet, so rich, so heavenly. You will know exactly what is required of you and it will be without pressure or force of any kind for it will be from within - suited exactly to your individual personality and ways. Sincere Christians will gladly and willingly do the Lord's will His way. Some things you will understand immediately and just be amazed how God works so gently and other things you will understand after a time. The words He will give you from the Bible may well be a compilation of words from a number of verses which you, or no man could ever bring together. These words will so perfectly answer all the questions and needs of your heart, that from this basis the Lord will gently bring you round to understanding how things have happened the way they have in your life. Friendships will change and you will see people lighten up in their eyes to you by just a word or so that just happens and endears their heart to you. And that is what it is all about -- Brotherly/Sisterly Love which is a pure blend of His will and yours without the restrictions upon you or the Lord of an unsanctified body. Those receiving the love of the truth will embrace all this like a young child grabs a beach ball at the beach. Children will be drawn by your joy and those sweet glimpses/dreams/visions of glorious colors etc. which are so pleasant to the heart - thus drawing their hearts by means of beauty and lovely impressions of Heaven. The impulses of the flesh being overcome are no longer an advantage to the enemy, battles are raised to a different level (spiritual) so that false seeds of elevation do not grow. However, these are not to be feared at all for they are those things which will be welcomed to keep sincere believers dependent upon the Lord. These small perplexities are also means of revealing which words the Lord has for you, and many other things. The Lord will not leave you comfortless as you see Him working saving and restoring families with much Joy. Why is it urgent that we walk in the path of Jesus now?   Nazis Will Return, Stronger Marie Kelton 12/2/24 (David's notes in red) During the meeting, I had an open vision of huge field (“the field is the world”). The whole vision looked like a black and white photo but with a light brown tint (Nazi) over it.  I saw a crowd of little boys dressed from the 1940s, they had little suits on with newsboy caps on. The little boys then turned into Nazi soldiers wearing the Nazi uniform and marching. (When we were dealing with our un-Christian faction God likened them to Nazis in our dreams and revelations. Then we saw them in the political realm. The DS Nazi Satanists have sowed their seed of demons into their captives who grow up to be just like them, whether still physically captive, or set free. The reason that the DS perverts must molest their captured women and children is because Satan uses this method to get their demons in them. Take for example Diddy and Hollywood. So, getting rid of the sowers by tribunal is not getting rid of the problem, only delaying it for a season, until mid-trib, when their crop comes to maturity at the mark of the Beast. Spirit filled Christians should cast these demons. You can do this remotely and on a mass scale as we have proven.)   I then saw what look like huge concentration camp, behind the Nazi soldiers. There was a chain link fence up. In the concentration camp I saw Jewish people (spiritual Jews are Christians) they had on the blue (Dems) and white (Rino's feigning righteousness) striped clothing. (Again we will see the Nazi crucifiers of God's people in the Christian and secular realms.) A little to the right of them in a separate area was this huge round building that was a dark brown color. It had smoke coming from the chimney. But I couldn't remember if it was a gas chamber or an incinerator. (They will force a decision with the mark of the Beast in mid-trib. Those who have not born fruit beforehand will have to lose their carnal life to gain their spiritual life.) In the distance behind the concentration camp. I saw a black dragon land on the field. (The first beast of the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation is the dragon in whom Satan lives – Revelation 12.) The black dragon then turned into a multitude of black people after it landed. (Black is walking in darkness. This is the Beast of the second 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation under the mark.) Rev 13:4 and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him? The black people began to run toward the concentration camp. I knew in the vision it wasn't for a good reason. (Jesus said we would be hated of all nations for His name sake. Meaning so His name would be manifest in us.) I knew from the vision that history would repeat. (Now they are killing the sowers but their spiritual children will not forget or forgive without deliverance.) I asked the Lord why did the Holocaust happen and the scripture came to mind.  Mat 27:25 And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. (This is true of all Christians too who walk in willful disobedience. Heb 10:26-29  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins,  27  but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries.  28  A man that hath set at nought Moses' law dieth without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses:  29  of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? )     Casting Out Demons Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. So, Anything you ask will happen if you believe, even mass deliverances. Mar 16:17 And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues… Mat 18:18-19 Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  19  Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. Luk 10:19-20 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions (orders of demons in the next verse), and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.  20  Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Can the demons return? Mat 12:43-45 But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places (Wherever the “water of the Word” isn't present.), seeking rest, and findeth it not.  44  Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. (Not filled with the Word and Holy Spirit) 45  Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation. (They have already been through hell so the cure is for us to pray and believe for the called and elect among them to be saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. Please command the demons out of the captives and pray for them to be filled with the Spirit and Word.)

Join us as we explore Daniel's vision in Chapter 8, a powerful prophecy that symbolizes the rise and fall of empires, including the Medo-Persian and Greek. This episode delves into the historical fulfillment of these visions, focusing on the Maccabean revolt and the oppressive actions of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who desecrated the temple and fulfilled the prophecy of the abomination of desolation. We'll discuss how these events not only illustrate the past but also foreshadow future prophecies, such as the coming of the Antichrist. Discover the hope and perspective that Daniel's book offers to the Israelites and how it encourages a biblical lens on current events, especially concerning Israel.Eastland is a Place to BelongEastland Baptist Church is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We are a welcoming and close-knit family community that loves to care for each other through the Church. We strongly believe in loving and supporting each other and our neighbors. Our members don't just attend our Church; they feel a strong sense of belonging.Join UsFind service times and our location at https://www.eastlandbaptist.org/join.Connect with UsWebsite: https://www.eastlandbaptist.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/eastlandbaptisttulsaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastlandbaptistTo support the ministry of Eastland Baptist Church, tap here: https://www.eastlandbaptist.org/give.

Daniel Wrap-Up: The Fictional Prophet's Greatest HitsHey there, fellow skeptics and Bible enthusiasts! In this episode of Sacrilegious Discourse, Husband and Wife are back at it, wrapping up the Book of Daniel with their usual blend of humor, sarcasm, and a healthy dose of skepticism. We're diving deep into those final chapters, including the juicy apocryphal tales, and breaking down the myths, historical context, and cultural significance of this ancient text. Buckle up, it's going to be a wild ride!First up, we chat about Daniel, the so-called prophet who allegedly survived multiple empires and not one, but two stints in the lion's den. Spoiler alert: Daniel didn't actually write this book, and it wasn't penned in real-time. We get into the nitty-gritty of the authorship debate, the curious language shifts, and the historical setting that makes you go, "Hmm, something's fishy here."Then, we break down the book's composition, which is like a biblical mixtape of court tales and apocalyptic visions. Why were these stories written? Who were they meant for? From Jewish men living holy lives in a pagan land to wild end-time predictions, the Book of Daniel has been stirring the pot for centuries. And we're here to stir it some more!We also dive into the historical backdrop, including the Maccabean Revolt and the infamous 'abomination of desolation' under Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Think selling the high priesthood and desecrating the Jewish temple—real events that inspired these biblical tales. History buffs, this one's for you!As always, we bring our irreverent humor and critical eye to the table, questioning the legitimacy and purpose of these ancient stories. Whether you're here for the theological critique or just some laughs, this episode has got you covered.Don't forget to visit us at: SACRILEGIOUSDISCOURSE.COM and join our Discord community for live episodes every Wednesday: https://discord.gg/VBnyTYV6nC Join Acast+ to enjoy our podcast adfree! https://plus.acast.com/s/sacrilegiousiscourse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniel Chapter 11: North vs. South, and the Abomination that Causes DesolationIn this episode of Sacrilegious Discourse, husband and wife dive into the chaotic and convoluted events of Daniel Chapter 11. Buckle up as we navigate through a whirlwind of historical conflicts, prophecies, and political intrigue that span centuries.We kick things off by recapping Daniel Chapter 10, where Daniel had a vision (not a dream this time) involving a shiny man with a lightning face and torches for eyes. This celestial being, detained by the Prince of Persia and rescued by the angel Michael, sets the stage for the apocalyptic visions that follow.In Chapter 11, we encounter a prophetic narrative that covers the rise and fall of kings and kingdoms, primarily focusing on the power struggles between the kings of the North (Syria) and the South (Egypt). This chapter is a rollercoaster of alliances, betrayals, and wars, all while the Jews are caught in the middle, suffering the consequences of these grand geopolitical games.The narrative becomes particularly dense and confusing, with pronoun abuse and vague references making it hard to follow without a cheat sheet. We break down the historical context, shedding light on figures like Alexander the Great, Antiochus Epiphanes, AKA, the "abomination that causes desolation"—a term that refers to the desecration of the Jewish temple by Antiochus.From discussing the absurdity of conquering gods to the detailed yet baffling prophecies, we dissect the chapter with our signature blend of skepticism and humor. Whether you're here for the theological deep dive or just the laughs, this episode has a bit of everything.Visit us at: SACRILEGIOUSDISCOURSE.COM and join us on Discord, where we interact the most AND have live episodes every Wednesday: https://discord.gg/VBnyTYV6nC Join Acast+ to enjoy our podcast adfree! https://plus.acast.com/s/sacrilegiousiscourse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity by Matthew Colvin Matt. 5:20-26 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.      21 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. Have you ever stopped to think just how unusual a sermon is in our day? Where else do you sit for half an hour and listen to someone talk in person, without interruption, applause, or any dialogue? Let alone, actually believe it. You were all kind to me last week as I filled in for Pastor Bill. Well, almost all of you. Luke Galloway wasn't having it. I don't blame him. But it raises the question of why you should believe any of what I say here at all. What authority is at work in a sermon? We mentioned last week that the authority of experts does not challenge us too much: experts put their knowledge at our disposal; they submit it to us for our consideration. It's true that some of what a pastor says might fall under this category: we are supposed to know the Biblical languages and to be trained in explaining the meaning of the Bible. But when I say, “The Greek word means this,” you should take that with a grain of salt unless I also show you how it fits and makes better sense of the Biblical passage. That is, when we preach the Word, we are following St. Paul's example, who urges the Corinthians, “I speak as to reasonable men; judge for yourselves the things I say.” (1 Cor 10:15) Why, then, do we wear robes? Why, in the words of one pastor who does not wear robes, does “someone important get to dress up like Saruman”? Ultimately, that is a symbol that the Reformed Episcopal Church has given the pastor to preach the word with their authority: that the church's bishops have examined a man and found that his doctrine is in conformity with the church's teaching. We are not lone rangers. We take ordination vows, and that means we are not free to teach our own doctrines, but those of the church. We subscribe to the Nicene Creed, which means that we are not free to to start teaching Arianism. We follow the 39 Articles in the back of your BCP, which means that we will not suddenly come into the pulpit and start teaching that you're going to Purgatory, or that you should bow down and worship the bread in Holy Communion. We are men under authority, and ultimately, that means we are under the authority of Jesus. Now what if I showed up on Sunday with my sermon engraved on two tablets? Not two iPads, but two actual tablets of stone. That would be sending a message about the authority of the sermon, wouldn't it, and it would be a very different message than is communicated by robes and stoles and appeals to Greek lexicography. But in our gospel lesson this morning, that, or something equivalent to it, is what Jesus has done: he sits down on a mountain, showing that he is about to fill the role of Moses, who went up on Mt. Sinai to receive the covenant God made with Israel after He brought them out of Egypt. The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus's most comprehensive and public announcement of his teaching about the coming kingdom of God — by which we mean, the coming day when Israel's God would be publicly acknowledged as reigning through the person of his anointed king, the Messiah. It is nothing more or less than the announcement of a new covenant, a new moment in the history of Israel as a people, right up there with the covenant with Abraham, the covenant at Mount Sinai, or the covenant with David. That is Jesus's message throughout his earthly ministry: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” The climactic moment in Israel's story was about to happen. What is at stake here is what it means to be Israel, to be the people of God. The Pharisees have one way of doing this; Jesus has another. They are not compatible. And Jesus does not mince words: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” I often have to remind my high school students that the word “Pharisee” was a self-laudatory epithet: they called themselves the P'rushim, meaning “separated ones.” Separated from what? Well, to understand that, we need to go back to the time between the testaments, when the Greco-Syrian empire under Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to melt down Israel and amalgamate it with Greek culture. In order to make the Jews assimilate, Antiochus banned copies of the Torah, prohibited circumcision and sacrifices to the Lord, and compelled the Jews to eat pig meat and profane the Sabbath. In other words, everything that marked the Jews as separate from the Gentiles was targeted by Antiochus's laws. In reaction to this, the Jews rebelled under the leadership of Mattathias Maccabee and his sons, especially Judah Maccabee. With the help of an alliance with Rome, they eventually succeeded in defeating Antiochus and rededicating the Temple in Jerusalem which he had defiled by sacrificing a pig on the altar. And alongside this military victory, the Maccabees also used violent force to pressure Jews to keep the law. It was a really difficult time to be a Jewish mother: if you had your baby boy circumcised, Antiochus's officers would kill you and your baby. If you didn't have your baby boy circumcised, the Maccabees would do it by force. If you refused to sacrifice to Zeus, Antiochus's officers would kill you. If you did sacrifice to Zeus, the Maccabees would kill you. The operative word in the Maccabees' resistance to the Greco-Syrian empire was “zeal.” It did not denote a mere enthusiasm. No, it was a violent upholding of the Torah covenant against those who would annihilate it, against the Jewish renegades who were ready to lose their Jewishness and become part of the Greco-Syrian melting pot. In this, the Maccabees were following an earlier template: In Numbers 25, Balaam had a similar idea, albeit with a different method. After the king of Moab, Balak, hired him to curse Israel, and Balaam couldn't do so because God caused blessings to keep coming out of his mouth instead, Balaam decided that if he couldn't curse Israel, he would lead them into idolatry. And the best way to do that was sex: he got foxy Midianite or Moabite women to seduce the Israelites and lead them to worship Baal of Peor. And we're told that: …Behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. 7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand 8 and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped. 9 Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand. (Num. 25:6-9) This is what is meant by “zeal.” We get a couple other instances in the NT. Saul of Tarsus, before he was stricken blind and came to believe in Jesus and became the apostle Paul, was full of zeal: he was “ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” (Acts 8:3) And again, Saul was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.” (9:1) This is what zeal looked like: Saul being a good Jew was very concerned that other Jews were being unfaithful to the covenant of Moses, and the way to put a stop to this was to use violence against them, because that is what the Maccabees had done. Indeed, when we find Jesus described as full of zeal, he too is violent: flipping over tables. “Zeal for your house has consumed me.” The Pharisees The Pharisees were the spiritual heirs of the Maccabees. They looked around and saw Israel under the domination of the Romans. And they adopted the Maccabees' recipe for what to do when Gentiles were dominating you: namely, “obey the Torah even harder.” And especially those parts of the Torah that set Jews apart from Gentiles: keeping the Sabbath, observing Kosher food laws, circumcision, sacrifices at the Temple, and following the cleanness laws that were required for entering the Temple — but following them all the time, even when you weren't going to the Temple. These were the religious conservatives. They were the people who took the Bible seriously. They weren't like the Sadducees, working hand in glove with the Romans. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead. They were looking for the arrival of the Messiah and the coming kingdom of God. All of which makes it all the more remarkable that Jesus says, “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Nowadays, if I were to call someone a Pharisee, it would not be a compliment. Sort of like how the popularity of the name Adolph went downhill after the 1940s. Except in this case, there is just one man who trashed the name “Pharisee” and turned it into an insult forever after: Jesus. We don't have time today to do a thorough survey of everything Jesus said about them, but just consider how effective his techniques were. Tell me the next word: “Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, __________.” Or the unforgettable visual images: trying to do eye surgery with a railroad tie sticking out of your own eye socket; fishing around for gnats in your soup while balancing a camel on a spoon; absurdly washing only the outside of a bowl or cup and leaving the inside filthy. You have heard it said To combat the Pharisees' way of being Israel, Jesus sets forth his own teaching. He introduces it with one of the most provocative rhetorical devices: the contradiction. “You have heard it said…but I say to you.” Many people misunderstand this. You have heard it said (!!!) that Jesus is quoting the Torah and then correcting its teaching. But I say to you that in this same chapter, verse 17, Jesus has already disavowed any intention of changing or altering the law and the prophets. His intention is rather to attack the Pharisees and their interpretation. So how does it work? “You have heard it said” — in Judaism, the verb to “hear” (Heb. shama', cf. the Shema' in Deuteronomy 6:4) is closely associated with literal, or overly literal interpretation. Shamu'a and mishma'  are both abstract nouns that mean “literal meaning” as well as “that which is heard.” Likewise, hashshome'a, “he who hears” is often used in the sense of “he who sticks to the superficial, literal meaning of Scripture.” Jesus, then, in introducing his teaching on anger, opposes it to the simplemindedly literal interpretation of the Pharisees: In other words, “You have heard it said, you shall not murder, and you think wrongly that this commandment is just concerned with murder. It is not. It is concerned with the roots and causes of murder; likewise, with the effects and consequences of those causes, other than outright murder.” Or, “You have heard it said, ‘you shall not murder, and only he who murders is liable to the judgment,' but this is a misinterpretation, for many other offences than simple murder are liable to the judgment.” In every case where Jesus introduces some received interpretation of the Law with “You have heard it said”, he immediately juxtaposes, “But I say to you.” Here, Jesus gives his own authoritative exposition of the Torah. Note that he does not appeal to any other authority: There is no, “Rabbi Ela said that Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said that Rabbi Meir used to say…” That's an actual quotation from the Talmud, by the way. The sermon on the mount continues for three chapters, until Matthew 7:29. At at the end, we are told the crowd's reaction: “the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” That is, despite not having been trained by any rabbi, and despite not having authorization as a scribe to propound binding interpretations of the Torah, and without saying “Rabbi X said in the name of Rabbi Y,” Jesus was declaring, “But I say to you…” That is, on his own authority as the Son of God, not the derived authority of his doctoral dissertation supervisor. Jesus constantly warned against the Pharisees. Why? Because they represented a very real danger. It is a danger that is peculiarly powerful for people who love God and take the Bible seriously and feel culturally and morally besieged. We are in a very similar situation, brothers and sisters. You are in the REC. It confesses the Bible to be the inspired word of God; it recites the Creed on a weekly basis; it has bishops, conforming to the polity that characterized the ancient church and the vast majority of church history since then; it stands for orthodoxy and Biblical morality in the face of howling winds of cultural change and creeping sexual perversion and transhumanism, all encouraged by the false eschatology of progress and a false faith in technology. If we are not careful to obey Jesus's teaching, it will be very easy to fall into Pharisaism, and to pray like the Pharisee in Jesus's parable: “I thank you, Lord, that I am not like other men, leftists, weirdos with dyed hair, or those rainbow flag alphabet soup people. I attend church every week and give a tenth of everything I get.” The danger, that is, is to adopt a view of the church as the beleaguered remnant waiting for God to smite its cultural and political enemies, and to focus on performative acts of boundary-marking. In other words, to focus on being pure and separate, in the hopes that God will reward your heightened effort at boundary marking by destroying those on the other side of the boundaries and rewarding you. Jesus's teaches something different from the Maccabees, both about how to be Israel, and about how to relate to those on the other side of the boundaries of the faith. 23 - “If you are offering your gift at the altar” — even if you are in the middle of the most important performance of Israelite piety, the central act that enabled Israel's God to dwell with His people. This is a shocking inversion of how the Pharisees thought things worked: for them, if you declared some money “qorban”, then you were excused from supporting your aged parents with it; for them, if an apparently dead body were on the side of the road, a priest or Levite on his way to the temple would be fully justified in avoiding it in order to remain in a state of cultic purity so that he could do his work in the temple. The laws of purity and religion were thus exalted over the duties toward neighbours and other human beings. Jesus has the OT on his side on this point: the opening of Isaiah rebukes the Israelites for their chutzpah in offering sacrifices and celebrating new moon feasts and other religious observances while perpetrating the worst sorts of social injustice: “Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood…Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow's cause does not come to them.” The idea that you can please God by meeting the external requirements, while simultaneously engaged in the worst sorts of injustice toward your fellow men is formalism. Think of a mafia boss who orders a hit on his enemies or pulls out a tommy gun and mows down sixteen rival mobsters on Saturday; the following morning, he shows up at Mass, dips his fingers in holy water, makes the sign of the cross, receives a wafer on his tongue and a blessing from the priest. Mobsters trust in formalism. God is not fooled. It was easy for faithful and believing Jews in Jesus's day to fall into hating the Romans. They were polytheist Gentiles, sexually immoral, and overweening in their obnoxiousness toward the Jews. Jesus mentions “Those Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices.” The Romans had installed the wicked Idumean dynasty of the Herodians as rulers over Israel. Roman soldiers had the right to Shanghai any Jew and force him to carry his heavy soldier's pack for a mile. Against all this, Jesus tells his disciples to “put away your sword” and to “turn the other cheek” and “go two miles”. In the face of the power and authority of the Roman governor, he answers Pilate not a word. He does not compete on the Romans' level. He knows that their empire will be His whenever He wants. “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” The Sermon on the Mount teaches a different way of being the people of God: not the Pharisees' way of exaggerated purity, social pressure, and violent insurrection. It is a way that manifests itself in a totally different attitude toward the Gentiles: one of compassion, not hatred. Not endorsement of the Gentiles' sins or their idolatry or their sexual immorality or infanticide. But a willingness to lay down His life also for them. A crucified Messiah implies a crucified Israel. That, in fact, is what we are called to be: Israel for the sake of the world. And that is what we find in our Epistle lesson this morning, as St. Paul urges in Romans 6:  Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.      5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Followers of the crucified Messiah are to be Israel for the sake of the world. Accordingly, we are to pray for the world — which we are about to do now.

“Rhabarberbarbara” Daniel 11:2-45 by William Klock On Wednesday a friend at the pool stopped me and asked if I'd watch a video on her phone and tell her what it was about.  It was in German and she didn't understand.  So she hit “play” and two men started singing and I laughed.  I said, “It's ‘Rhabarberbarbara' and they've set it to music.  “Rhabarberbarbara” is a German tongue twister poem.  Imagine “She sell seashells down by the seashore”, but it's all ba…ba…ba sounds, and with each stanza the tongue twisting part gets longer.  Barabara opens a bar to sell her rhubarb cake: Barbaras rhabarberbar”.  But pretty soon bald, bearded barbarians in need of a barber show up.  It's a funny poem and it's hard to say, but these two guys set it to music and sang the whole thing perfectly.  My friend said she liked how catchy it was, but had no idea what it meant.  I laughed, because this is how the Greeks came up with the word “barbarian” for foreigners.  Their languages just sounded like “Bar…bar…bar”.  If you don't know the language, your ear hears the repetitive sounds, but you have no idea what any of it means.  Imagine hearing “She sells seashells down by the sea shore” if you didn't speak English.  It's just rhyming repetitive gibberish. As I was walking away I started thinking how this is a metaphor for how a lot of people might hear Daniel 11, which is what we come to today.  It's the longest chapter in the book and most of it describes a long conflict between the King of the North and the King of the South.  The actual kings are never named.  The places involved aren't named.  It goes on and on, back and forth between north and south.  In this case the language is history, not German, but if you don't know the language it's not that different than my friend listening to that German tongue twister that's all bar…bar…bar.  It's just repetitive gibberish. But if you know the history, Chapter 11 describes the historical events that were whirling around Judah from the time of Daniel in the Sixth Century up to the 160s BC.  If you know the history a story emerges from the Rhubarberbarbara.  That said, knowing all the historical details isn't the important thing you need to take away.  I'll give you the big picture and skip the nitty-gritty.  If you want to know all the details, the actual historical events are well documented and you can look them up in a history book or Wikipedia.  If you've got an ESV Study Bible, it's all there with nifty maps and genealogies and historical outlines. But before we get into that, remember the lesson from Chapter 10.  That was the first part of this vision.  The lesson from that first part is that there's more going on than what we can see.  Daniel was frustrated and discouraged by earthly circumstances and—as we'll see—things weren't going to get any better.  It's easy to lose hope.  But the angel explained to him that the battles he saw being fought by kings on earth corresponded to battles being fought in the heavenlies.  The point of knowing this isn't to burden us with some new responsibility—as if there's something we can do to win those battles in the heavenlies.  Just the opposite.  Those battles in the heavenlies are not our responsibility.  Apart maybe from praying, there's nothing we can do to assist the angels.  God has given us things to do and battles to wage in our sphere and he and his heavenly forces will do battle in their sphere.  And the point is that we should find hope in that.  The battle here may feel hopeless.  But knowing that God fights a battle in the heavenlies that somehow corresponds to the one we fight here and that the outcome in the heavenlies corresponds to the outcome here—that should inspire hope to stand firm, to keep the faith, and to fight the good fight. Knowing that, the vision now continues with a summary of historical events.  Let's start with verses 2-4. “And now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and do as he wills. And as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these.   There were more than four Persian kings following the time of Daniel.  This “three and a fourth” is a Hebrew way of talking about all the things.  We see it in Proverbs: “There are six things the Lord hates and a seventh is an abomination to him.”  The Lord hates more than seven things, but these seven are representative of all the things the Lord hates.  Just so with these four Persian kings.  The point is that the Persian empire will get bigger and bigger, richer and richer, more power and more powerful and eventually—and this is what happened historically—it will go up against Greece and be defeated.  Xerxes I invaded Greek territory.  He was defeated and that started a century of conflict that ended with the defeat of Persia by Alexander the Great.  And mighty Alexander, who like the beasts of earlier chapters rampaged and did what he willed—or so he thought—he fell almost as soon as he arose.  Alexander conquered the known world in fifteen years and suddenly died of a fever at the age of 32.  His generals fought over his empire and eventually divided it up four ways.  Two of those successor kingdoms would have a profound influence on the land of Judah: the Seleucid kingdom based in Syria—the King of the North—and the Ptolemaic kingdom based in Egypt—the King of the South.  That's the setup for the rest of the chapter, which rushes through about 160 years of the history that follows.  The Seleucid kings were Seleucus I-IV followed by Antiochus I-IV.  The Egyptian kings are easy: They were all named Ptolemy—Ptolemy I-VI.  (Actually there eventually thirteen Antiochuses and fifteen Ptolemies, the last being the son of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII.) Verses 5 to 20 move quickly through the first five Ptolemies, the first four Seleucuses, and the first three Antiochuses.  Fifteen verses sweep us through history from about 320BC to 175BC.  Here's the text: “Then the king of the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority. After some years they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported her in those times.   “And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail. He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north. Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land.   “His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress. Then the king of the south, moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, greater than the first. And after some years he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies.   “In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail. Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand. But he who comes against him shall do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, with destruction in his hand. He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to destroy the kingdom, but it shall not stand or be to his advantage. Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed, he shall turn his insolence back upon him. Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.   “Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor of tribute for the glory of the kingdom. But within a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle.   If that makes as much sense as “Rhabarberbarbara”, that's okay.  If you know the history this maps right on to it, but if you don't, all you really need to know is that this describes about a century and a half of the kings of Egypt and Syria fighting with each other.  And that's important because of what's right between Egypt and Syria.  Picture a map in your head.  What's between Egypt and Syria?  That's right: Judah.  Judah sat on the crossroads of the ancient world and so it went back and forth between Egypt and Syria and eventually many of the Jews themselves got caught up in the politics and the intrigue.  Some of them thought that by siding with these pagan kings they were fulfilling God's purpose.  Again, when we see things happening in the world around us—the things we can see—it's easy to get caught up in them, it's easy to compromise our faith and our values and what's right.  But Daniel reminds us that there's more going on than what we can see with our eyes.  Things are never truly hopeless for God's people, because God is ultimately in control and because his angels fight for us.  We need to remember that as things get worse, and get worse they did for little Judah, caught in the middle of all this. Verse 20 describes the Syrian King, Seleucus IV Philopater.  He sent a “tax collector”, a man by the name of Heliodorus, to collect the money needed to pay tribute to Rome, which was now involved in the intrigue.  Heliodorus tried to plunder the temple in Jerusalem, but had a nightmare that put him off the idea.  Instead, Heliodorus poisoned the king, Seleucus IV.  That opened the door to the real terror.  Look at verses 21-35: In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant. And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people. Without warning he shall come into the richest parts of the province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers' fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time. And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the end is yet to be at the time appointed. And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.   “At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before. For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant. Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.   The other kings were bad, but this new king who arises is truly contemptible.  The heir of Seleucus IV was imprisoned in Rome and Antiochus IV bought and manipulated his way to the throne in his place.  He took the name “Epiphanes” meaning “Manifest One”.  In short, he thought he was God.  And Antiochus Epiphanes did his best to turn Jerusalem into a pagan Greek city.  The passage here refers to him deposing the high priest, Onias III.  His action against the holy covenant refers to his making it illegal to live by torah, his manipulation of Jewish collaborators, and to his defilement of the altar in the temple.  But Antiochus Epiphanes pushed too hard.  It's not that the earlier Greek kings weren't bad or that they, too, hadn't imposed pagan culture on Judah, but none had ever made the effort that this king did.  For the most part, they'd left Judah alone, under the rule of the high priest, as long as he coughed up tribute money every year.  Under the earlier kings, most people didn't feel compelled to make a choice between the Lord and the pagan gods, but under Antiochus Epiphanes, that's just what happened.  No one could sit on the fence anymore.  No one could say that this didn't affect them.  And so the vision tells of the wise in the community standing up and encouraging the people—not all (there were many who collaborated with Antiochus), but still a good many of them—these wise ones encourage them to stand firm.  They prepared the faithful to pay with their lives for doing so.  Those days tested the faith of the people and, in the end, revealed who was seriously committed to the Lord and who was not.  Again, in all this we're reminded that God was at work in the days of Antiochus just like he had been in the exile back in Daniel's day. And this brings the vision up to what was the present day for the author of Daniel, about 167BC.  So far the vision has been relating the history that led up to this point as if it were a prophecy given by Daniel back in the Sixth Century.  With verse 36 the vision transitions.  Now it looks into the future.  But the style changes, too.  Everything becomes more grandiose, but more importantly, the description of how this crisis will reach its climax uses imagery and language from the Prophets, especially Isaiah 10, Ezekiel 38-39, and Psalms 2, 46, 48, and 76.  The Prophets spoke of the “End” and Daniel's vision describes the present crisis as another embodiment of that great “End”. This is the point where evangelical interpreters disagree with each other.  Some see the change in style, the language of the End, and the fact that Antiochus didn't exactly meet his death the way it's described here, some see all this as reason to think that the vision is now turning from the events of the Second Century to events much further in the future.  It's no longer talking about Antiochus IV Epiphanes, but about a future “Antichrist”.  Other evangelical scholars see nothing in the text that justifies that kind of change in subject and timeframe and believe this is still talking about events in the Second Century. Either way, there are difficult problems and anyone who says otherwise simply isn't being honest.  I'll say that Daniel 11:36-12:13 is the most difficult Bible text I've ever wrestled with and every time you think you've made progress untangling the ball of yarn, you discover that you've just turned one big knot into half a dozen smaller ones that are just as tenacious.  If you know me, you know I think it's best to let the text speak for itself even if that makes things difficult.  I can't see anything within the text itself that justifies projecting this part of Daniel into the far future.  The text itself is pretty clear that it's looking to the immediate future—to the three or three-and-a-half years to come, to the death of Antiochus, and to the vindication of the Jews who were faithful in that crisis.  I might be wrong, but either way you end up with some problems that are hard to resolve—I just prefer going the route that lets the biblical text speak most naturally for itself.  So, verses 36-45: “And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all. He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.   Antiochus Epiphanes wasn't unique in making claims of divinity and the description here about his idolatry is grandiose, but there's nothing in the text that suggests at all that this is suddenly about some other king, let alone an Antichrist figure in the distant future.  I think what's going on here is that the vision captures how it felt for the faithful Jews to live under Antiochus, because he was the first of these rulers to deliberately undermine their laws, their faith, their worship and to defile their temple.  We do the same thing in our political discourse all the time, turning bad politicians into over-the-top monsters, and our politicians aren't half the monster that Antiochus was.  It goes on:   “At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.   We don't really know how Antiochus Epiphanes died.  The Greek historian Polybius and the books of 1 and 2 Maccabees give varying accounts of his being driven mad after an attempt to plunder a temple in Persia.  He seems to have died not long after.  1 and 2 Maccabees suggest that there was an element of divine wrath in his affliction and death.  The description here, again, seems grandiose and we know nothing of him pitching his tents between the sea and Mt. Zion.  Whatever we make of the specifics, what the author saw in the Prophets—and I think, too, that he was an astute observer of how the hubris of these Greek kings and their internal intrigues worked out in history—the author understood these things and could say with certainty that the wicked Antiochus Epiphanes would get his divine comeuppance. Whether this vision was actual prophecy or whether it was the author's attempt to exhort the faithful in Judah by working out a sort of pseudo-prophecy based on the visions of Daniel and the writings of Israel's prophets, the Spirit stands behind the text.  I've been wrestling with the difficulties here for months.  Is it prophecy?  Is it pseudo-prophecy?  Was it written in the Sixth Century or the Second?  Did the people who received it think it was written by Daniel hundreds of years before or did they know it was written by one of their own who was suffering under Antiochus just as they were?  These are hard questions and there's no easy solution.  But what I do know and what I keep coming back to is that the Holy Spirit stands behind these words and we know that, because Jesus drew on them as scripture and so did the writers of the New Testament.  I expect I'll get into this idea more next week, Lord willing, but I think Jesus' use of Daniel points us in the right direction, because Jesus used this last vision of Daniel to point to the future vindication and resurrection of his people.  In doing that I think Jesus was doing with Daniel what Daniel had done with the earlier prophets.  As I said a few minutes ago, the Prophets often pointed forward to the “End”—the End with a capital “E”—and it was usually associated with whatever historical events of judgement and vindication they were prophesying.  And those prophecies were fulfilled in history, those times of judgement and vindication came as they had said, but always that great End was still out there, always pointing to a time when there would be a great and final day, at the end of history, on which the wicked will be judged and the faithful will be vindicated and I think that's what's going on in this final vision of Daniel.  Through the judgement of the wicked and vindication of the just in his own day, the author of Daniel points even more emphatically than the prophets of old had, towards that final Day of the Lord.  And this, then, is what Jesus picks up from Daniel and makes his own.  In his death and resurrection, in his ascension and his judgement of faithless Jerusalem and the temple, Jesus is saying that that great eschatological End with a capital “E” is finally here.  The end of history has begun.  And in that he's much like the old Prophets and he's much like Daniel.  There's still time to go.  There are still things to be done on both earth and in the heavenlies before every last enemy has been put under his feet.  And in the meantime God's people—even now empowered by the gospel and the Spirit—God's people, like they always have, need this encouragement to stand firm, to keep the faith, and to fight he good fight—even if it means our death.  Our acclamation as we come to the Lord's Table gives us just this kind of exhortation and if you aren't accustomed to thinking of it that way, try to think of it that way from now on: Christ has died.  Christ has risen.  Christ will come again.  Jesus has fulfilled what the Prophets spoke.  He has inaugurated the End.  And now we live in that in between time—between the beginning of the End and the end of the End.  And that, Brothers and Sisters, is good news.  It is the exhortation we need to stand firm, to keep the faith, and to fight the good fight knowing that our Lord sits enthroned in the heavenlies and has already won the battle and decisively turned the tide of this war. Let's pray: Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the many and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

In this episode we're going pre Jesus, we're going to the second century BCE, we're going to a Hellenistic king at his peak at the peak of the Hellenistic Period. We're on a journey to find the O.G. template for THE ANTICHRIST!You know, the one who comes at the end for the final battle with Jesus. We are going to take a comedic look at the atrocities carried out in Jerusalem by the Seleucid king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This one individual had his hand in inspiring the Book of Daniel, First and Second Maccabees, Hanukkah, Hellenising the holy city, ultimately paving the way for Christ and ironically setting himself up as the blueprint for THE ANTICHRIST!Our story will feature guest appearances from Donald Trump, Jon Stewart, Alexander the Great, Macedon, Seleucus I Nicator, the Middle East, Roman Empire, Roman Republic, Rome, Romans, Seleucus IV Philopator, Demetrius, Mithradates, Zeus,  Egypt, Jason, Menalaus, Ptolemy VIII, Gaius Popillius Laenas, Alexandria, Josephus, Judean People's Front, Diodorus, foreskin restoration device, Israelites, Bible, Little Horn, King of the North, Cersei, Antigonus, Lysimachus, Iran, Syria and Nanaya. Sauceshttps://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/antiochus-epiphanes-the-bibles-most-notoriously-forgotten-villain/https://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/miscellanea/trivia/no-man.htmlhttps://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/10/126012/donald-trump-quotes-about-celebrities-insultsTags#SketchComedy #Sketch #Comedy #Sketch Comedy #Atheist #Science #History #Atheism #ConspiracyTheory #Sceptical #Scepticism #Mythology #Religion #Devil #Satan #Skeptic #Debunk #HeavyMetal #RomanEmpire #Rome #AncientRome #Romans #RomanEmperor 

About the King's Business Daniel 8:1-27 by William Klock The books of 1 and 2 Maccabees in the Apocrypha detail the persecution of the Jews in the mid-160s BC, during the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.  2 Maccabees 6, for example, tells how “the king sent an Athenian senator to compel the Jews to forsake the laws of their ancestors and no longer to live by the laws of God; also to pollute the temple in Jerusalem and to call it the temple of Olympian Zeus” (6:1-2).  The gentiles used the temple of God for their orgies and drunken banquets.  Antiochus desecrated the alter with the sacrifice of a pig.  On holidays the king's men would round up Jews and force them to participate in his parades and sacrifices.  Those who refused to participate or who were caught living by torah were killed.  Two women, for example, were caught having circumcised their baby boys.  Their babies were tied around their necks as the women were paraded through the streets to the wall of the city and then thrown down it to their deaths.  Faithful Jews who were caught secretly observing the sabbath in a nearby network of caves were burned alive.  2 Maccabees 7 tells the story of seven brothers and their mother, who were threatened with torture to eat pork.  Despite being beaten, they refused. The king fell into a rage, and gave orders to have pans and caldrons heated. These were heated immediately, and he commanded that the tongue of their spokesman be cut out and that they scalp him and cut off his hands and feet, while the rest of the brothers and the mother looked on. When he was utterly helpless, the king ordered them to take him to the fire, still breathing, and to fry him in a pan. The smoke from the pan spread widely, but the brothers and their mother encouraged one another to die nobly, saying, “The Lord God is watching over us and in truth has compassion on us, as Moses declared in his song that bore witness against the people to their faces, when he said, ‘And he will have compassion on his servants.'” (2 Maccabees 7:3-6) The king went on to do the same to the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh brothers who all refused.  We read that: The mother was especially admirable and worthy of honorable memory. Although she saw her seven sons perish within a single day, she bore it with good courage because of her hope in the Lord. She encouraged each of them in the language of their ancestors. Filled with a noble spirit, she reinforced her woman's reasoning with a man's courage, and said to them, “I do not know how you came into being in my womb. It was not I who gave you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each of you. Therefore the Creator of the world, who shaped the beginning of humankind and devised the origin of all things, will in his mercy give life and breath back to you again, since you now forget yourselves for the sake of his laws.” (2 Maccabees s7:20-23) She stood firm—and so did her sons—because they hoped in the Lord.  They knew that he is the Lord of history.  They knew his goodness.  They knew his faithfulness.  They knew their story and how it was interwoven with the story of the faithfulness of the God of Israel, and so even as they were brutally murdered by a mad king, they trusted in him.  Daniel was written for these people.  The stories in the first half of the book show Daniel and his friends standing firm for the Lord during the Babylonian exile, but the dreams and visions in the second are situated right in the middle of those days of violent persecution four centuries later.  That's what we see now as we come to Chapter 8 and to Daniel's second vision.  Let's start with verse 1 and read through to the end. In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first. And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.   As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath. I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.   Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper. Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”   When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”   And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand up. He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end. As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. And the goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king. As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power. And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise. His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand. The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”   And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king's business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.   Another vision during the reign of the blasphemous king Belshazzar.  In his ways, he foreshadows the evils of Antiochus Epiphanes.  But as the first vision revealed, the days of Babylon were soon to be over, so this vision whisks Daniel hundreds of kilometres to the east, to Susa, which would become the capital of the Persian empire.  And there he sees another animal, this time a ram.  This is another clue as to when the book was written.  The ram as a sign of the zodiac was associated with Persia—not in Daniel's day, but in the time of the Greeks. The symbolism of Daniel 7 was difficult and there's a fair bit of disagreement about what it all means, but not so much with Daniel 8.  This vision is simpler and the explanation pretty straightforward.  Most everyone agrees on the major points.  So it begins with a ram representing the combined empire of the Medes and the Persians—those are the two horns, one bigger than the other.  Horns, in ancient imagery, represent strength.  The Medes were strong, but the Persians eventually become stronger and gobbled them up and so Daniel sees the ram, lowering its head, and charging from the east into the north and into the south and into the west—which is exactly what the Persian empire did, until it controlled the known world, even as far as Greece.  Daniel writes that the ram did as it pleased and became strong.  It's the way of human empires. But as the ram reaches the peak of its power, Daniel sees a goat appear in the west.  It helps to know that in the biblical mind, the goat was stronger and more powerful than the ram.  This goat had a single horn and it made its way across the land so fast it might have been flying for all it seemed to touch the earth.  It put its head down and charged the mighty ram and shattered both its powerful horns.  In case the symbolism wasn't already obvious, the angel explains that the goat is Greece.  The jutting horn is Alexander the Great. Alexander was the son of Philip II, King of Macedon.  He was tutored by Aristotle and assumed the throne when his father died in 336 BC.  He was only twenty years old.  By the age of thirty he had conquered the known world, from Greece in the west to India in the East, from Central Asia in the north to Egypt in the south.  And then, in 323 BC, still a young man, Alexander died of a fever in Babylon.  For twenty years his generals fought over his empire, eventually carving it up into four kingdoms, which Daniel sees as four horns.  The two relevant ones for the Jews were that of Seleucus who controlled Syria and the east, and Ptolemy, who controlled Egypt and Palestine. But this is all the background to the most important part of the vision.  Out of those Greek successor kingdoms arises another horn.  He isn't named, but as the details of the first horn obviously point to Alexander, the details of this new horn point very obviously to Antiochus IV Epiphanes.  In the great sweep of history, Antiochus was hardly the greatest of the Greek kings, but when he defeated the Egyptian Ptolemies and took control of Judah he became very important to the Jews.  The Ptolemies had treated the Jews well and allowed them to govern themselves as a sort of religous state as long as the high priest coughed up the annual taxes.  Antiochus, however, wanted to make good Greeks of the Jews and to get his hands on the temple treasury.  Under his rule the priesthood was bought and sold and eventually observance of torah was outlawed and torah scrolls burned.  God's worship in the temple was ended and it was turned into a temple to Olympian Zeus.  And Antiochus murdered faithful Jews by the tens of thousands. In Daniel's vision, Antiochus takes the form of this great horn that rises up against heaven itself.  These verses, especially 12-13, are difficult.  Just when I was glad to leave the Aramaic of chapters 2-7 behind, here come these verses that I can only describe as a Hebrew word salad.  The Hebrew of Daniel is something else that points to it having been written in the Second Century, because it's not written in the great literary Hebrew of Daniel's day, but in a sort of clunky Hebrew that looks a lot like it was written by someone who probably spoke Aramaic as a first language.  But that's okay.  The gist of Daniel's vision is that Antiochus, in going up against the temple and the priesthood, was really shaking his fist at the God of Israel.  This little earthly king who called himself “Epiphanies”—the manifestation of God—was pitting himself against the living God, the Lord of history, the one the Babylonian kings had had the good sense to acknowledge as God Most High.  That never ends well. And yet, for a time, the mad king seems to have won.  Israel's identity was centred on the temple.  That was the place where heaven and earth, where God and man met.  They were the holy people who lived with God in their midst.  And not only did Antiochus do his best to make sure they broke their end of the covenant with God by preventing them from keeping his law, but he suspended the very sacrifices that acknowledged God's presence in the temple.  He wanted the Jews to live like good Greeks and when they insisted on living like Jews, he banished their God from his temple and set up an altar to Zeus.  Judah was now his land.  Their God was gone, so they had no reason to obey his law.  Of course, the Jews knew better.  Like that mother and her seven sons in 2 Maccabees, they knew the faithfulness of the God of the Israel and they knew that no puny human king could blaspheme against him forever.  But, for a time, he would seem to have won the day.  According to Daniel's vision, for 2300 evenings and mornings the temple would be desolate.  That's a reference to the morning and evening sacrifices that were—or were supposed to be—made every day.  The sacrifices that Antiochus suspended.  Depending on how you parse this detail out, it's either about three years and three months or it's about six years and six months.  Most people tend to go with the three years, which corresponds closely to the time when Antiochus had suspended the worship of the Lord in the temple.  But the six-and-a-half years works too, if you count back to when the high priest was deposed.  Either way, we know what the vision represents.  And either way and for whatever reason, it's not an exact number, which means it may also be symbolic—we just can't be sure exactly how.  However we parse out the number, the important point is that the Lord has numbered these evil days. And that's the point I want to close on.  Too often we get fixated on numbers and on fixing dates and end up missing the point.  We do it with books like Daniel.  We do it with books like Revelation.  We do it with the prophets and with the apocalyptic discourses of Jesus.  It's nothing new.  Christians have been setting dates for over a thousand years and whenever we do, we seem to end up distracted from the gospel mission we've been given.  Often it ends with the creation of schismatic sects and cults.  William Miller, for example, worked out from these 2300 evening and mornings that Jesus would return in 1843.  His argument convinced a lot of people (and it helped that he threw in plenty of “God has told mes”).  Of course, it didn't happen so he adjusted his formula, admitted a small error, and corrected the date to 1844.  That didn't happen either.  But his followers had given up everything and then many of them walked away and became jaded.  They called it the “Great Disappointment”.  But, still, to this day Miller has his ardent followers.  They're the Seventh Day Adventists and believe that it really did happen in 1843, and that it wasn't about Jesus returning to the earth, but that Jesus on that date entered the heavenly temple to begin is work of judging souls in anticipation of his return. And many of us remember Hal Lindsey's The Late Great Planet Earth that became a sensation in the 1970s.  Lindsey made a point of not setting an exact date, but he wasn't shy about saying things like the 1980's would probably be the earth's last decade.  It motivated some people to become missionaries, but it motivated lots of other people to abandon their jobs, their families, and to run up massive credit card debt because they were convinced that in a year or two none of it would matter.  In more recent years we've had similar predictions made about “blood moons” and the like.  Christian bookstores were filled books about the imminent return of Jesus and end of the world.  People were, once again, all worked up about the end of the world and, once again, nothing happened. Again, we too often forget the point of passages like this one in Daniel 8.  Even if we could estimate or even set a date by it, the point is that God is in control and, because of that, we have every reason to stand firm in the midst of trials and persecution, knowing that God will vindicate us in the same way that he has vindicated his people in the past and, especially for us as Christians, in the same way that he vindicated his son when he raised him from death.  Daniel 8—and so many other passages—remind us first and foremost that God is sovereign.  No matter how it seems, history is not random.  No matter how much they may shake their fists at the heavens, no king is outside the sovereign will of God.  No matter how much we may abuse our God-given liberty, every one of us will be held to account.  Sin and evil will not go on forever.  God is judge, one day he will deal with sin and death once and for all, and eventually all of creation will be to rights—including us.  And we know that this will happen, we believe, we have hope, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus.  At the cross God did the hard part needed to set the world to rights.  At the cross Jesus won the decisive battle and one day the war will be over when we, the church, his people, have accomplished the work he has given.  He has equipped us with his own Spirit and sends us out to proclaim the life giving and renewing good news of his death and resurrection.  And for two thousand years, that good news has driven away the false gods of the pagans and brought kings and their people to their knees before Jesus and to give glory to the God of Israel.  Brothers and Sisters, date-setting, goofy predictions, and eschatological paranoia do nothing to witness the sovereignty of the Lord of history.  They do just the opposite and they undermine our witness.  They make Christians look foolish and the scriptures untrustworthy.  Our mission is to proclaim the gospel, because in Jesus and in his death and resurrection, that is where the world meets the living God and knows his faithfulness. And that brings me to the final point.  Look again at verse 27 and Daniel's response.  The vision left him troubled.  He even lay sick in his bed for “some days”.  He was in some sense dismayed because he didn't fully understand it.  But what did he do?  He says that he arose and went about the king's business.  Brothers and Sisters, the prophecies and apocalypses that the Spirit has given us in the scripture were never meant to send us out in a panic or a frenzy, they weren't given to have us abandon our earthly responsibilities because the world is coming to an end.  They were given to us to remind us that God is sovereign, that he will judge the wicked, and that he will vindicate his people for their faithfulness.  So be faithful.  The Lord had placed Daniel in a position of authority in the court of the king of Babylon.  That pagan court was soon to fall.  That pagan king was soon to die.  But the Lord had put Daniel in that position for a reason and so he went faithfully back to his work.  The same goes for each of us.  The Lord has put us where we are for a reason.  Be a faithful husband and father or a faithful wife and mother knowing that the Lord is sovereign.  Be faithful in your vocation, whatever it may be, however mundane it may seem.  Be faithful to your earthly obligations: to your family, to your business, to your school, to your church, to your club, to your friends, to your debts, to your country knowing that the Lord has placed you where you are.  That is, after all, the King's business.  This witness to our trust in the sovereignty of God is the foundation that undergirds our greater witness to Jesus and the gospel.  It is what prepares us to stand firm should the day come when we find ourselves forced to choose between obedience to an earthly king and obedience to our heavenly King.  May we stand firm like the saints of old and declare with the mother of those seven martyred sons, “The Lord God is watching over us and in truth has compassion on us.” Let's pray: Almighty God, look with mercy on your people; that by your great goodness we may be always governed and preserved both in body and soul, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Today, Jim and Lonaiah return to the book of Daniel and examine Daniel's prophecy of the Syrian king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. If the Old Testament is bursting with foreshadowings of things to come in the New Testament, how does Daniel's prophecy of Antiochus foretell what the Antichrist will do in the last days? What can we learn from Antiochus' desecration of the Temple when he offered the sacrifice of a pig on an altar to Zeus? News and discussion this week circles around the increasing crisis at the U.S. and Mexico border, the World Economic Forum's most recent meeting in Davos and their warning on "Disease X," reports that pro-Palestine rallies have utilized paid protestors, the tellings of spiritualists/divinators in the modern world, and much more. Listen or watch to hear all the thoughts and topics discussed! // SOURCES: The Other's Info: House and the Border:  https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4415089-gingrich-backs-house-gop-border-deal-stand-firm-against-senate-republicans/ Argentina President vs. WEF:  https://www.upward.news/davos-javier-milei-vs-everyone/ Preparing for Disease X:  https://www.aa.com.tr/en/health/get-ready-for-disease-x-warns-who-chief/3111557 WEF Globalist's Thoughts on Today's Economy: https://winepressnews.com/2024/01/20/world-economic-forum-panelist-thinks-its-good-people-cant-afford-electricity-and-basic-living-standards-helping-with-decarbonization/ Fox News and Psychic Reading on Show: https://www2.cbn.com/news/world/ex-psychic-sounds-alarm-after-live-tarot-card-reading-about-trump-biden-fox-news-youve Defund Davos:  https://www.pennlive.com/news/2024/01/rep-perry-introduces-bill-to-defund-davos-as-gathering-of-global-elitists.html NWO:  https://winepressnews.com/2024/01/17/world-economic-founder-president-brende-says-we-are-on-the-way-to-a-new-order/ China Buying US Farmland:  https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2024/01/20/national-security-risk-investigation-reveals-biden-admin-failed-track-foreign-ownership-u-s-farmland/ Paid to Protest:  https://nationalpost.com/opinion/evidence-paid-anti-israel-protesters-canada WEF Updates:  https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/wef-artificial-intelligence-digital-id-vaccines/?utm_source=luminate&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=defender&utm_id=20240119 SCOTUS Votes in Favor of Biden Border: https://thenationalpulse.com/2024/01/22/scotus-says-biden-govt-can-take-down-texas-border-barrier/?utm_source=Wake+Up+Right&utm_campaign=228c09b7d3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_3_21_2020_15_52_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7abe0cb409-228c09b7d3-383890904 New World Order WEF:  https://winepressnews.com/2024/01/17/world-economic-founder-president-brende-says-we-are-on-the-way-to-a-new-order/ Kevin Roberts at WEF:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5rV5aVRYeg Why Kevin Roberts went to Davos: https://www.heritage.org/conservatism/commentary/why-i-am-going-davo Border Invasion Instagram Video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2fTlXQL7jb/?igsh=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng%3D%3D The Eyes of God/Witch Video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2X9B6zJ3qX/?igsh=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng%3D%3D Photo of Rollo: https://www.thefinalhourpodcast.com/rollo // STAY UP TO DATE: www.thefinalhourpodcast.com Instagram: @thefinalhourpodcast

In this extra special mini episode I hope to whet your appetite, pique your interest and get you all round excited about the upcoming roster of shows we have planned for your 2024. We've got a weirdly wholesome episode about the Slayer album, Show No Mercy. We will be delving back into The Book of Revelation. We'll shine the spotlight on the almighty Iron Maiden.Up the irons! We investigate the O.G. antichrist, Antiochus IV Epiphanes.We're doing Metallica, Lord Bryon, WASP, Constantine, Danzig and Pat Robertson.And that's just the first half of the year. 

Bible Seeds: The celebration of Hanukkah and Christmas is coming up this month. Hanukkah starts on December 07th and ends the 15th. Jerusalem was delivered from the cruel king, Antiochus IV (Epiphanes), by Maccabees in the month of Chislev (our month of December in 165 B.C.) This time of deliverance has been celebrated by the Jews as Hanukkah, or the Feast of Lights. The story is told in this podcast.Christmas starts four weeks before the 25th of December. It is referred to as The Christmas Advent and is recognized by many Christians as the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus on the 25th of December, which is Christmas day. His story is told in this podcast.And finally, here is my song for both Hanukkah and Christmas. It's called Invitation, the Hanukkah – Christmas song. It shows that both those of the Jewish faith and the Christian faith are waiting for the coming of the Messiah!

PREVIEW: The joyful return of Indiana Hoenlein with Hanukkah-linked discoveries from the famous Givati parking lot excavation in the City of David: ceramic roofing tiles from the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, villain of the tale. Malcolm Hoenlein @Conf_of_pres @mhoenlein1 https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/gimme-shelter-ceramic-roof-tiles-cast-light-on-greek-presence-in-hanukkah-era-jerusalem/ar-AA1l70WZ 1857 Jerusalem

The rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem on November 21, 164bce (25 Kislev 3597) stands as a pivotal moment in Jewish history, marking both a spiritual and military triumph. This event, deeply entwined with the Maccabean Revolt, led to the establishment of Hanukkah, a festival celebrating Jewish resilience and faith. The Maccabean Revolt (167-160bce) was a Jewish uprising against the Seleucid Empire and the Hellenistic influence on Jewish life. Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king, imposed strict bans on Jewish religious practices, leading to widespread discontent. The revolt was ignited when a rural Jewish priest, Mattathias, and his five sons, including Judah Maccabee, refused to worship Greek gods. This act of defiance sparked a widespread rebellion. Under the leadership of Judah Maccabee, the Jewish insurgents waged a guerrilla war against the Seleucids. By 164bce, they had achieved significant victories, culminating in the recapture of Jerusalem and the Temple. The Temple, desecrated by the Seleucids who had converted it into a shrine to Zeus, was in dire need of spiritual cleansing and rededication to restore its sanctity as the heart of Jewish worship. The rededication of the Temple was a profound moment of renewal for the Jewish people. According to the Talmud, when Judah Maccabee and his followers sought to relight the Temple's Menorah, they found only a small flask of oil, enough for one day. Miraculously, this oil burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare more oil. This miracle underscored not just a military victory but a spiritual resurgence, symbolizing the enduring light of Jewish faith against overwhelming odds. In commemoration of this miracle and the rededication of the Temple, the festival of Hanukkah was established. Hanukkah, meaning “dedication” in Hebrew, is celebrated for eight days in honor of the miraculous eight days the Menorah burned. It is a time of joy and gratitude, observed by lighting the menorah, reciting prayers, and reflecting on the themes of freedom and resilience. The rededication of the Temple and the events leading up to it are more than historical events; they are embodiments of the enduring spirit of a people striving to preserve their identity and faith against formidable challenges. The story of the Maccabean Revolt and the miracle of Hanukkah continue to inspire, symbolizing hope, courage, and the triumph of light over darkness. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/plausibly-live/message

Pastor Randy walked us through Revelation 13-14, in which he expounded on the names-titles, attributes, and rise of the Antichrist -1 Jn. 2-18-22-. He is referred to in Scripture as the -little horn- of Dan. 7-8, the -king who exalts himself- in Dan. 11-36-45, the -man of lawlessness- in 2 Th. 2, the rider on the white horse under the first seal in Rev. 6-1-2, and the beast out of the sea and abyss in Rev. 13, 17. --The 7 heads are seven kingdoms that have oppressed God's people Israel and have opposed God's plan. Six of those kingdoms have come- Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome. The seventh kingdom of the future is represented by the 10 toes of Dan. 2's image and the 10 horns of Dan. 7. One of those kingdoms will re-emerge from a -fatal wound.- Since the beast -resembled a leopard- and since Antiochus IV Epiphanes is a clear forerunner to the future Antichrist, the kingdom that will re-emerge from its -fatal wound- may be the Grecian Empire -current day territory includes Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran-. --According to Dan. 7-8, the -little horn- will rise to prominence and power and will subdue 3 of the 10 kings of the 7th kingdom. It is important to understand that the Antichrist -the beast out of the sea- is all of the following - a man, the eighth king-kingdom, and the spirit of Satan leading a final rebellion against Jesus Christ and His saints. The Antichrist will be prideful and exalt himself, speak blasphemies against God and His people, and declare himself to be above all gods- the number of his name is man's number- 666. The number 6 represents the incompleteness and imperfection of man's attempts to be like God. This takes us bac

Pastor Randy walked us through Revelation 13-14, in which he expounded on the names-titles, attributes, and rise of the Antichrist -1 Jn. 2-18-22-. He is referred to in Scripture as the -little horn- of Dan. 7-8, the -king who exalts himself- in Dan. 11-36-45, the -man of lawlessness- in 2 Th. 2, the rider on the white horse under the first seal in Rev. 6-1-2, and the beast out of the sea and abyss in Rev. 13, 17. --The 7 heads are seven kingdoms that have oppressed God's people Israel and have opposed God's plan. Six of those kingdoms have come- Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome. The seventh kingdom of the future is represented by the 10 toes of Dan. 2's image and the 10 horns of Dan. 7. One of those kingdoms will re-emerge from a -fatal wound.- Since the beast -resembled a leopard- and since Antiochus IV Epiphanes is a clear forerunner to the future Antichrist, the kingdom that will re-emerge from its -fatal wound- may be the Grecian Empire -current day territory includes Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran-. --According to Dan. 7-8, the -little horn- will rise to prominence and power and will subdue 3 of the 10 kings of the 7th kingdom. It is important to understand that the Antichrist -the beast out of the sea- is all of the following - a man, the eighth king-kingdom, and the spirit of Satan leading a final rebellion against Jesus Christ and His saints. The Antichrist will be prideful and exalt himself, speak blasphemies against God and His people, and declare himself to be above all gods- the number of his name is man's number- 666. The number 6 represents the incompleteness and imperfection of man's attempts to be like God. This takes us bac

Pastor Randy walked us through Revelation 13-14, in which he expounded on the names/titles, attributes, and rise of the Antichrist (1 Jn. 2:18-22). He is referred to in Scripture as the "little horn" of Dan. 7-8, the "king who exalts himself" in Dan. 11:36-45, the "man of lawlessness" in 2 Th. 2, the rider on the white horse under the first seal in Rev. 6:1-2, and the beast out of the sea and abyss in Rev. 13, 17. The 7 heads are seven kingdoms that have oppressed God's people Israel and have opposed God's plan. Six of those kingdoms have come: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome. The seventh kingdom of the future is represented by the 10 toes of Dan. 2's image and the 10 horns of Dan. 7. One of those kingdoms will re-emerge from a "fatal wound." Since the beast "resembled a leopard" and since Antiochus IV Epiphanes is a clear forerunner to the future Antichrist, the kingdom that will re-emerge from its "fatal wound" may be the Grecian Empire (current day territory includes Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran). According to Dan. 7-8, the "little horn" will rise to prominence and power and will subdue 3 of the 10 kings of the 7th kingdom. It is important to understand that the Antichrist (the beast out of the sea) is all of the following - a man, the eighth king/kingdom, and the spirit of Satan leading a final rebellion against Jesus Christ and His saints. The Antichrist will be prideful and exalt himself, speak blasphemies against God and His people, and declare himself to be above all gods; the number of his name is man's number: 666. The number 6 represents the incompleteness and imperfection of man's attempts to be like God. This takes us bac

Nancy grew up in Savannah, Georgia, and like most people, was active in the church. But after having kids, she moved into the Jewish neighborhood of Savannah, wanting what she saw there for her family. That started her down a path of questioning and curiosity that ultimately led her to convert. We talk about her journey, what she studied to become a certified Jew, and how her before-and-after lives compare. This episode kicks off an informal mini-series exploring conversion to Judaism. We'll hear a few personal stories, and a rabbinical perspective. This could be an endless series, because of course, every experience is unique. As many converts as there are in the world, that's how many reasons and paths there are to conversion.  Synagogue: the Jewish house of worship and learning. Also called a "shul" or temple.JEA: The Jewish Educational Alliance, is Savannah's version of a JCC (Jewish Community Center). JCCs originated in Baltimore in 1854 and are community and event centers, often with gyms and child care, open to membership from anyone. Proselytize: to recruit or attempt to convert someone to a faith. Hanukkah: The Festival of Lights, recognizable to many by the 9-branched menorah, takes place anywhere from October to December, on the 25 of the Jewish month of Kislev (Judaism uses a lunar calendar). Not actually a religious holiday, it commemorates the victory of the Maccabee (meaning: hammer) tribe over the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes.Zaydie: Yiddish for grandpa, also spelled “zaydeh” or “zaydee.”Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur: known as the High Holy Days, they are separated by ten days, collectively known as The Days of Awe. Rosh Hashanah means “head of the year,” but is not the calendar new year; it's the anniversary of Creation. Tradition says that on Rosh Hashanah the Book of Life is opened, and on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) it is sealed. During the Days of Awe, you're meant to apologize for, own up to, and forgive hurtful behavior from the previous year to be sealed in the Book of Life for a good year to come.   Mickve: a ritual bath, required in conversion, but also used in many rituals to signify cleansing, purification and a new start. Also spelled "mikveh," it is generally considered to be the origin of baptism.Beit Din: meaning “house of judgment,” it is a rabbinic court, and in some historical periods and communities, was also the civil court. In conversion, it's a panel representing the community the convert wishes to join. A note about Savannah's Jewish community: In 1733, a small group of mostly Portuguese Jews arrived in the 5-month-old colony of Georgia. In 1790, Georgia, now a state, granted a charter forming Congregation Mickve Israel, the third in the entire U.S. Historical records mentioning the congregation include an exchange with President George Washington after his election. The congregation still gathers in the neo-Gothic sanctuary off Monterey Square, consecrated on April 11, 1878. Congregation Shearith Israel in New York was founded in 1654, and the first Jews inSupport the showLike the show? Support it! Or don't, that's cool too. Just glad you're here! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/supporters/new

The angel finishes his prophecy of selected Israelite history with the rise and finish of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. An exposition of Daniel 11:28-35.  ★ Support this podcast ★

The angel finishes his prophecy of selected Israelite history with the rise and finish of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. An exposition of Daniel 11:28-35.  ★ Support this podcast ★

Daniel 8 introduces a new vision that came to Daniel about two years after the vision in Daniel 7. This vision in Daniel 8, although involving the Greek and Persian Empires, has a primary focus on an individual called the "little horn." Historically, the "little horn" in Daniel 8 has been interpreted as Antiochus IV Epiphanes. However, as Pastor Mathew moves through this chapter, he will seek to demonstrate that the little horn in Daniel 8 is the same little horn of Daniel 7, the Antichrist who will come to power at the end of the age. East Memorial Student Ministry | Pastor Mathew Wronski | April 5th, 2023

So he's had his nephew killed, married his sister, and usurped the throne, a strong start for a Hellenistic ruler, but can he do more? Tune in for an Egyptian war, Roman drama, and the origins of Hanukkah. You can find all the images on our website! https://soyouthinkyoucanrulepersia.wordpress.com/2023/03/12/29-antiochus-iv-epiphanes/

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian and news editor Amy Spiro join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode. An Israeli driver came under gunfire by Palestinians in the northern West Bank on Friday and last night the Lion's Den militant group reportedly claimed responsibility. Fabian fills in details. Fabian attended a large-scale military and medical drill at Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem on Thursday. Should patients feel safe, based on what he saw? Spiro recently interviewed Mixed Martial Arts fighter Natan Levy who had some fighting words for Kanye West. Tonight, the Hallmark channel is airing "Hannukah on Rye." Why is this "perfect timing," according to Israeli star Yael Grobglas? And finally, Borschel-Dan speaks about how archaeologists have uncovered a cache of 2,200-year-old silver coins near the Dead Sea, which they say is the first physical proof that Jews fled to the Judean Desert during the upheaval and persecution under Hanukkah villain Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Discussed articles include: Israeli car comes under fire near Nablus, driver escapes unharmed IDF drills at Jerusalem hospital for potential war, heavy rocket attacks on capital UFC's only Israeli fighter believes all Jews ‘should know how to defend themselves' Hallmark's new Hanukkah movie is ‘perfect timing' amid antisemitism spike, says star 2,200-year-old coin hoard gives hard proof of Book of Maccabees, say archaeologists Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on iTunes, Spotify, PlayerFM, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts. IMAGE: 2,200-year-old silver coins that were discovered in a wooden box inside a cave in Wadi Muraba‘at near the Dead Sea. (Shai Halevy, Israel Antiquities Authority)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel is getting to see the future of what's to come...ultimately to the Church, at the hand of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

What was the abomination of desolation? Cale looks at the terrible deeds of Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the courageous men and women who stood up for their faith in the midst of trial.

UNIVERSITY OF EXCELLENCE Prince HandleyPresident / Regent PRINCE HANDLEY PORTAL 1,000's of FREE ResourcesWWW.REALMIRACLES.ORG INTERNATIONAL Geopolitics | Intelligence | Prophecy WWW.UOFE.ORG END TIME BABYLON GLOBAL COMMERCE CENTER END TIME INFLUENCE OF ESG, WEF AND RESET LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE HERE >>> LISTEN 24/7 release of Prince Handley teachings, BLOGS and podcasts > STREAM Twitter: princehandley Subscribe FREE to Prince Handley Teaching and Newsletter ________________________________________ DESCRIPTION This is a short and brief teaching to alert you, once again, to the future establishment of End Time Babylon: a REAL city (but may have a different name). It will be the megacenter of world commerce and will influence the nations (and their leaders) with immorality (false religion). Read Revelation Chapters 17 and 18.   Babylon the Great Harlot will become a center of Islamic commerce and religion. Babylon is the New World Order's substitute for Jerusalem. ________________________________________   END TIME BABYLON GLOBAL COMMERCE CENTEREND TIME INFLUENCE OF ESG, WEF AND RESET BABYLON WILL BE CAPITAL OF NEW GLOBAL "COMMERCE" BUT NOT THE CAPITAL OF NEW GLOBAL "GOVERNANCE"   Just as Babylon was the headquarters for the first world dictator―Nimrod―so the NEW BABYLON will be the headquarters of NEW NIMROD: the FINAL New Global Governance dictator: a despot and worse than tyrant. The New Global Governance leader will be chosen by the NWO―New World Order (or whatever name the organization ascribes to itself at that time). He will be the FALSE mashiach (messiah) and the greatest enemy that Israel and the Jewish People have ever known. Turkey will probably become the headquarters for the New Global GOVERNANCE. In due time it will become obvious that it will in effect be the (clandestine) headquarters of the NIO: New Islamic Order. As the Global GOVERNANCE Center, Turkey will come into position―may break away from its previous European and western associations―and, as the Eastern leg of the old Roman Empire, it will be the epicenter of Islamic geopolitical and financial concourse, fostering the development of New Babylon COMMERCE Center: international commercial, political and religious centre of the world. New Babylon will work in alignment―for a season―with the New Global Governance leader: the FALSE Messiah. New Babylon Global COMMERCE Centerwill later be destroyed by a confederacy of Ten Regional Leaders―who actually support her development at first―and who align themselves with the dictates of the New Governance Leader: the FALSE Messiah. TAKE AWAY: Israel's leaders―and Mossad―must pray for discernment and insight in the coming commercial, geopolitical and religious shifts. Watch Turkey, watch the UN and its evolution / transition into the New World Governance ... and watch for the New Nimrod: a man of “supposed” peace who will appear on the world stage. This New Nimrod will broker a seven year peace agreement―a covenant just like Daniel prophesied―and in the middle of the seven years, he (the False Mashiach) will go into the newly built Temple of the Jews and declare that he is G-d: the overspreading of abomination just like Daniel prophesied (and an anti-type of Antiochus IV Epiphanes who desecrated the Temple around 167 BCE. ISLAM will likely be ONE catalyst which will bring about the New Global Governance (think UN or NWO). NOTE: ESG and WEF may also bring about a RESET which will be used by Satan as TWO other catalysts to bring about New Global Governance. CHINA and the Kings of the East will be a FOURTH catalyst to forming the New Global Governance. Muslim terrorism is now global. You will begin to see the loss of your right to privacy. Israel and the USA will be the key targets of this attack. Islamic terrorism will be ONE active agent to frighten people into wanting New World Governance ... along with Global Reset by ESG and WEF. In exchange for being allowed to build her Temple, Israel will sign a peace treaty with the coming world leader: the FALSE messiah. New Babylon [a literal city] will arise with support from a 10 region cooperative of GEOPOLITICAL leaders who give support to the future Global Governance Leader: the FALSE Messiah, the antiChrist. [NOTE: these 10 world leaders will later work with the antichrist to DESTROY New Babylon.] READ REVELATION CHAPTERS 13, 17 & 18 So what should you do? PRAY ~ PREPARE ~ TEACH. Make all the money you can to invest in: 1. God's Work and Workers; and, 2. Purchase what you need to become ~ and remain ~ independent [and in some cases "off the grid" when necessary] as long as you can while doing God's Work! Prophetic happenings are speeding up! WATCH these forces: ESG / WEF / RESET CHINA ISLAM Baruch haba b'Shem ADONAI. Your friend, Prince Handley President / RegentUniversity of Excellence Subscribe FREE to Prince Handley Teachings & Newsletter Prince Handley BLOG________________________________________ Rabbinical & Biblical StudiesThe Believers' IntelligentsiaPrince Handley Portal(1,000's of FREE resources)Prince Handley Books ________________________________________ OPPORTUNITY If you would like to partner with Prince Handley and help him do the Spirit exploits the LORD has assigned him, Click thIs secure DONATE or the one below. God will reward you abundantly on earth … and in Heaven! A TAX DEDUCTIBLE RECEIPT WILL BE SENT TO YOU ________________________________________ MESSIAH YESHUA (JESUS) WINS >>> Learn how YOU can WIN, also!

As Jesus continues to prepare His followers for life between His ascension and return, He tells them to be watching for a terrible event called the abomination of desolation that was prophesied by Daniel 6 centuries earler. When they see it, they're to run for the hills! In fact, they should even be praying in advance that it doesn't take place at a time when it will be hard for them to get away from Jerusalem and Judea. Jesus' followers would have been pretty shocked by this announcement, because they thought that Daniel's prophecy had already been fulfilled over 175 years earlier! We explore where the prophecy and history meet to discover the amazing story of Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the way it fulfilled in incredible detail many of the prophecies in Daniel 8 to 12. However Jesus announced that this wasn't the final fulfilment. Within the lifetimes of those who were listening on the Mt of Olives, a second fulfilment of Daniel's prophecy would occur, culminating in the destruction of the Temple in AD70. Those who paid attention to the warnings of Jesus were spared from being caught up in an incredible tragedy at that time. In a similar way, the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 24 is meant to be taken to heart as a warning for people even today. Not every part of His prophecy has yet come about. Events spoken of by prophets and recorded in both the Old and New Testaments are yet to come; and being ready to respond is vitally important. Prophecy is not just for prophecy buffs and conspiracy theorists – it's given to us from God to prepare us and to deliver us. To be forewarned is to be forarmed!

Scripture Reading: John 2:12-25 (and maybe John 3:1-8) 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there a few days. 13 Now the Jewish Feast of Passover was near, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem.14 He found in the temple courts those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting at tables. 15 So he made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple courts, with the sheep and the oxen. He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold the doves he said, “Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father's house a marketplace!” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will devour me.”18 So then the Jewish leaders responded, “What sign can you show us, since you are doing these things?” 19 Jesus replied, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.” 20 Then the Jewish leaders said to him, “This temple has been under construction for 46 years, and are you going to raise it up in three days?” 21 But Jesus was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 So after he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the saying that Jesus had spoken.23 Now while Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover, many people believed in his name because they saw the miraculous signs he was doing. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them because he knew all people. 25 He did not need anyone to testify about man, for he knew what was in man.How many times did Jesus cleanse the temple?I want to address this question because this is one of the main texts brought up to show contradictions in the Bible. I don't, however, want to spend most of our time on this (unless participants are interested).I thought the dilemma was nicely laid out by a Christian website:The second chapter of John explains that during the Passover, Jesus went to the temple in Jerusalem, made a whip of cords, and drove out the money changers who were doing business there. He also poured out the money and turned over the tables (John 2:13–15). Jesus said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!” (John 2:16).The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) also tell of Jesus entering the temple, driving out those who bought and sold, overturning their tables, and telling the crowd that they had turned the temple into a “den of thieves” (Matthew 21:12–13; Mark 11:15–17; Luke 19:45–46). Some Christians believe these accounts describe the same event, but there is a problem. John describes the cleansing of the temple as occurring during the first Passover (of three) mentioned in his Gospel. Meanwhile, Matthew, Mark, and Luke all describe the temple-cleansing as taking place just days before Christ's Crucifixion. Is this a contradiction and if so, who is right?Did John intend to write chronologically?As scholar Lydia McGrew points out, there are four ways to narrate about time (emphasis added):(1) The author intends to imply or state a chronology and gets it right. That chronology corresponds to the way that things literally happened historically.(2) The author intends to imply or state a chronology and gets it wrong by accident. The chronology does not correspond to the way that things happened historically, but the author does not know this. The document contains an ordinary error.(3) The author intends to imply or state a chronology, it does not correspond to historical reality, and the author knows that. The author intends to change the chronology in the apparently realistic world of the narrative. I will dub this dyschronological narration.Note that this definition of dyschronological narration is compatible with but does not entail an authorial intention to deceive the audience. The audience may or may not take the chronology seriously and be confused. The definition by itself leaves open either possibility. It would be possible under this definition for the audience to take the story's chronology lightly (perhaps due to genre considerations) and hence not to be misled, though it is also possible that they take the work to be giving chronological information. All that this definition says is that the author intentionally changes the chronology in an invisible way in the story as narrated. Dyschronological narration could be attempted deception, but whether it is or not depends on other factors.(4) The author does not intend either to imply or to state a chronology in the story concerning the event or series of events in question. If an interpreter thinks that chronology is intended, this is due to a misunderstanding. I will dub this achronological narration.If John narrates using methods (3) or (4), perhaps there is no contradiction between the Gospels. But is method (3) compatible with biblical inerrancy? I will address these thoughts during the session.Or maybe John does intend to write chronologically. Could there have been two temple cleansings? Here are Craig Blomberg's reasons to consider that view:1. The details of the cleansing given in John's account are completely different from those given in the Synoptics (i.e. Matthew, Mark, Luke).2. If Jesus felt strongly enough about the temple corruption to cleanse it once at the beginning of His ministry, it is not really too difficult to believe that He might do it again at the end of His ministry.3. Since cleansing the temple was an overtly Messianic act, about which some of the Jews would have approved, it is not surprising that He could get away with doing this once at the outset of His ministry. However, when the Jews began to realize that Jesus was not really the sort of Messiah they were looking for, a second cleansing would have almost certainly sealed His fate (see Mark 11:18).4. In the Synoptics, Jesus is accused of having said that He would destroy the temple and rebuild another in three days not made with human hands (Mark 14:58). But a similar comment by Jesus is only explicitly mentioned in John 2:19. Furthermore, since the witnesses in Mark's gospel get the statement slightly wrong, and cannot agree among themselves (Mark 14:59), it may be a confused memory of something Jesus said two or three years earlier, rather than just a few days earlier.5. Jesus' statement in the Synoptics is more severe than that in John. Only in the Synoptics does He refer to the Gentiles' need to pray at the temple, and only in the Synoptics does He refer to the Jews as “robbers”.6. In John 2:20 the Jews refer to the temple rebuilding project having begun 46 years earlier. This would mark the date of the cleansing at around AD 27 or 28. But Jesus was almost certainly not crucified until at least AD 30. And it is most unlikely that John would have simply made up such a figure. Therefore, it is quite likely that John is describing a distinct (and earlier) cleansing from the one mentioned in the Synoptics.Key ThemesI. The Setting—The TempleHere's my edited version of an encyclopedia entry regarding the Temple:The First Temple was constructed during the reign of David's son, Solomon, and completed in 957 BCE. Josiah (reigned c. 640–609 BCE) established the Temple of Jerusalem as the only place of sacrifice in the Kingdom of Judah.The First Temple was built as an abode for the Ark and as a place of assembly for the entire people. The building itself, therefore, was not large, but the courtyard was extensive. The Temple consisted of three rooms of equal width: the porch, or vestibule; the main room of religious service, or Holy Place; and the Holy of Holies, the sacred room in which the Ark rested.The Temple suffered at the hands of Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylonia, who removed the Temple treasures in 604 BCE and 597 BCE and totally destroyed the building in 587/586. Jews were deported to Babylonia in 586 and 582.Cyrus II, founder of the Achaemenian dynasty of Persia and conqueror of Babylonia, in 538 BCE issued an order allowing exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. Work was completed in 515 BCE. There is no known detailed plan of the Second Temple, which was constructed as a modest version of the original building. It did not include the ritual objects of the First Temple; of special significance was the loss of the Ark itself. During the Persian and Hellenistic (4th–3rd century BCE) periods, the Temple generally was respected, and in part subsidized, by Judaea's foreign rulers. Antiochus IV Epiphanes, however, plundered it in 169 BCE and desecrated it in 167 BCE by commanding that sacrifices be made to Zeus on an altar built for him. This final act touched off the Hasmonean revolt, during which Judas Maccabeus cleansed and rededicated the Temple; the event is celebrated in the annual festival of Hanukkah.In 54 BCE Crassus plundered the Temple treasury. Of major importance was the rebuilding of the Second Temple begun by Herod the Great, king (37 BCE–4 CE) of Judaea.Construction began in 20 BCE and lasted for 46 years. The area of the Temple Mount was doubled and surrounded by a retaining wall with gates. The Temple was raised, enlarged, and faced with white stone. The new Temple square served as a gathering place, and its porticoes sheltered merchants and money changers. A stone fence and a rampart surrounded the consecrated area forbidden to Gentiles. The Temple proper began, on the east, with the Court of Women, each side of which had a gate and each corner of which had a chamber. The western gate of the court, approached by a semicircular staircase, led to the Court of the Israelites, that portion of the Court of Priests open to all male Jews. Surrounding the inner sanctuary, the Court of Priests contained the sacrificial altar and a copper laver for priestly ablutions. This court was itself surrounded by a wall broken with gates and chambers. The Temple sanctuary building was wider in front than in the rear; its eastern facade had two pillars on either side of the gate to the entrance hall. Within the hall, a great gate led to the sanctuary, at the western end of which was the Holy of Holies.The Herodian Temple was again the centre of Israelite life. It was not only the focus of religious ritual but also the repository of the Holy Scriptures and other national literature and the meeting place of the Sanhedrin, the highest court of Jewish law during the Roman period. The rebellion against Rome that began in 66 CE soon focused on the Temple and effectively ended with the Temple's destruction on 70 CE.I. The Reason for Overturning the TablesJesus says, “Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father's house a marketplace!”In 2 Chronicles 7:11-15, the Lord explains the purpose of the temple as follows:11 After Solomon finished building the Lord's temple and the royal palace and accomplished all his plans for the Lord's temple and his royal palace, 12 the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: “I have answered your prayer and chosen this place to be my temple where sacrifices are to be made. 13 When I close up the sky so that it doesn't rain, or command locusts to devour the land's vegetation, or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who belong to me, humble themselves, pray, seek to please me, and repudiate their sinful practices, then I will respond from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. 15 Now I will be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place.In Matthew 21:12-13, Jesus affirms the temple as a place of prayer:Then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 And he said to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are turning it into a den of robbers!”Perhaps the problem was that the merchants were inside the temple courts, which should have been kept holy. Not only could this be a desecration of the temple, but it would have interfered with the worship of Gentiles. Gentiles were welcome alongside Israelites in the Solomonic temple but were excluded from the inner courts at Jesus' time. Gentiles would have been trying to worship and pray in the midst of a busy market.Perhaps the problem was the economic exploitation of the worshipers in the temple. There is little historical indication that such exploitation went on, but at a glance it seems to fit Jesus' accusation in the synoptic gospels that the temple was turned into a den of robbers. Does it really fit though? Consider the passage that Jesus is alluding to, Jeremiah 7:8-11:8 “‘But just look at you! You are putting your confidence in a false belief that will not deliver you. 9 You steal. You murder. You commit adultery. You lie when you swear on oath. You sacrifice to the god Baal. You pay allegiance to other gods whom you have not previously known. 10 Then you come and stand in my presence in this temple I have claimed as my own and say, “We are safe!” You think you are so safe that you go on doing all those hateful sins! 11 Do you think this temple I have claimed as my own is to be a hideout for robbers? You had better take note! I have seen for myself what you have done! says the Lord.Notice that robbers is not indicating financial crimes. It points to murderers, adulterers, and, most importantly, idolaters who thought were “in the clear” simply because they had the temple. I think this is the key to Jesus' reaction. Personally, I think that the temple had not only become a market in the sense that merchants were there, but the whole attitude towards God had become transactional. Read the following description of the selling of indulgences (a medieval practice) and consider whether it is similar:One particularly well-known Catholic method of exploitation in the Middle Ages was the practice of selling indulgences, a monetary payment of penalty which, supposedly, absolved one of past sins and/or released one from purgatory after death.I. The Solution—Destroy and RebuildJesus responds to the Pharisees, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.” An NET Bible footnote explains the verb tense of the word destroy. “The imperative here is really more than a simple conditional imperative (= ‘if you destroy'); its semantic force here is more like the ironical imperative found in the prophets (Amos 4:4, Isa 8:9) = ‘Go ahead and do this and see what happens.'”It's a challenge filled with irony. The Pharisees effectively respond with a resounding no! “This temple has been under construction for 46 years . . . .” Yet they will destroy the temple. In three years they will crucify Jesus, on whom God dwells in an infinitely fuller sense.And Jesus will be true to his prophecy. He will resurrect in three days.

This is part 2 of 3 of Day 258. Episode Links: Bruce Gore Lecture on Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the Maccabees - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hwkThHYBXs Daniel: Overview - The Bible Project - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cSC9uobtPM General Links: Support this Podcast! - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dbrpodcast Daily Bible Reading Homepage - https://anchor.fm/dailybiblereading Find us on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkYa0enE6UtdbltMQvUpVLw Resources: Customizable Google Sheets Reading Plan - http://bit.ly/DBRPlan Chronological Reading Plan PDF (starting January 1, 2021) - http://bit.ly/DBRPlanpdf Connect with us: Daily Bible Reading Podcast Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/dailybiblereadingpodcast Send me an email - dailybiblereadingpodcast@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter - @dailybibleread3 The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® Copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dailybiblereading/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dailybiblereading/support

Romans 5:6-8 compares Jesus' dying for us to another person dying for someone else. The point here is that while *maybe* someone would die for a righteous and good man, Jesus died for *sinners.* These verses are comparing Jesus' death for us to anyone's death for another. The striking thing from Paul's perspective is that Jesus died for sinners as opposed to dying for the righteous, acknowledging that some might die for the righteous. The very fact that Jesus' death for us is comparable to the death of one person for another can certainly help us understand what Jesus did for us on the cross. Consider this, the things people assume that it must mean to say "Jesus died for you" aren't assumed when we hear about people dying for other people. In fact, it's common to think that Jesus dying for us is actually not comparable to ordinary humans dying for other humans. But Romans 5:6-8 says it is comparable. In this video, we see what we can learn by considering the example of someone who died for others. About 200 years before Jesus' ministry, Judea was ruled by the Seleucid Empire, and its king at the time, a man named Antiochus IV Epiphanes, terribly persecuted the Jews. His persecutions included forbidding the Sabbath, forcing Jews to eat unclean meats, and compelling everyone to adopt Greek ways. Those who remained faithful to God were tortured and put to death. Some who were martyred at that time become famous among the Jews as models of steadfast obedience to God even in face of death. It is probably to these martyrs that the author of Hebrews refers to at the end of Hebrews 11 when he says, "Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection." As you'll see, this was the experience of a man named Eleazar, whose martyrdom is recorded in books such as 2nd and 4th Maccabees. We also look at Colossians 1:24-26 where Paul says he was filling up what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ. This doesn't mean that Jesus' death is insufficient to save us, but obviously, many who even know what Jesus did for them harden their hearts and go on in sin anyway. This means that what Jesus was accomplishing through his afflictions hadn't fully accomplished its desired outcome and Paul's afflictions could actually accomplish the same thing as Jesus' afflictions. This also informs us of how Jesus' death can save us. For a deeper study, see: "The Truth of Sacrifice" - Oct. 1, 2015 - Trent Wilde (FOT'15 S3) https://youtu.be/0YOcg3kd74Q "Q&A Why Jesus Came and Died (Romans 5)" - June 18, 2016 - Trent Wilde https://youtu.be/85lVLF0w6qQ "Justification by Faith - A Sinless Life?" - Trent Wilde https://youtu.be/7YGsaSd-mq A Visit our podcast, "Sabbath School With Branch Davidians," at: https://branchsabbathschool.libsyn.com Sabbath School Q2 2022: Genesis - Week 8 A Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventist perspective on the Sabbath School lesson. www.bdsda.com Email us at bdsdalit@gmail.com for comments and literature requests.

You will learn who this rider on the white horse is in Revelation chapter six. He is the bad guy and you know that in the book of Revelation, the bad guy looses and the Good Guy wins. Islam teaches that their Messiah is called the Mahdi, or 12th Imam, and get this, he comes on the scene riding on a white horse. In this episode, you will learn that the Islamic Eschatology (End times belief), fits the narrative of the gad guys script in Revelation. They also believe that their version of Jesus (The Prophet) comes back demanding everyone convert to Islam and worship this Mahdi. It's as if they took the playbook, right out of Revelation, to play the two bad guys. In Revelation you see the Beast and the second Beast appear, and the second one appeared as a Lamb but spoke like a dragon. Wow! You will also see how Antiochus IV Epiphanes was a type and portrait of the antichrist. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/george-crabb7/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/george-crabb7/support

You will learn who this rider on the white horse is in Revelation chapter six. He is the bad guy and you know that in the book of Revelation, the bad guy looses and the Good Guy wins. Islam teaches that their Messiah is called the Mahdi, or 12th Imam, and get this, he comes on the scene riding on a white horse. In this episode, you will learn that the Islamic Eschatology (End times belief), fits the narrative of the gad guys script in Revelation. They also believe that their version of Jesus (The Prophet) comes back demanding everyone convert to Islam and worship this Mahdi. It's as if they took the playbook, right out of Revelation, to play the two bad guys. In Revelation you see the Beast and the second Beast appear, and the second one appeared as a Lamb but spoke like a dragon. Wow! You will also see how Antiochus IV Epiphanes was a type and portrait of the antichrist. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/george-crabb7/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/george-crabb7/support

Can We Trust the Bible? Today, Pastor Michael is continuing his study on Daniel. At this time in history, Daniel is about 70 years old and this about a decade plus before the lion'd den that we know him so well for.  Daniel is praying and has a vision of himself outside a river and he knew well the river (Ulai) and the city (Susa) in his dream. A ram appears in his dream.  This ram has two, curving horns.  One of these horns starts out smaller but grows bigger than the other horn.  This ram starts a ‘rampage' and is knocking over animals, everywhere.  Suddenly, from the horizon a goat appears, running so fast his feet don't even appear to be hitting the ground. This goat has one horn between its eyes, a ‘goaticorn', if you will, and he runs right into the ram and smashes right into him, hitting him so hard that both of the ram's horns are broken off and the goat takes a victory lap on the ram. The goat, now grows bigger and stronger and seems unstoppable. Then, without warning, the goat's horn breaks off and four, little horns, take its place!  Crazy! We learned in prior studies of Daniel that a horn represents a king or kingdom.  The ram has two horns, representing two kingdoms.  At first, the goat has one, big horn, which must be one, big, undivided kingdom.  Four horns growing out to replace it, become four more kingdoms. Just when it can't get any weirder, yet another horn grows out of one of the four horns. Symbolic but weird, but hey, it's prophesy, so we do have to pay attention to it! This newest horn, this little sprout of a horn, starts attacking the Holy Land.  Somehow, Daniel the uber-interpreter, is seeing all these strange things going on, takes it in apparent stride, because a figure appears by the river and a loud voice commands, “Gabriel, make this man understand!”. Gabriel tells Daniel that he has been sent to him to explain what will happen in the end times at the indignation.   Gabriel goes on to explain to Daniel that the Ram's two horns represents the Meads and the Persians (in an alliance).  The horns growing dissimilarly represents the actual way the Meads declined and the Persians gained prominence.   The the goats big horn represents Greece.  When Daniel had this vision it was hundred of years before Greece became the power it would be.  And that large horn breaking off, likely represented Alexander the Great dying, which occurred after his arrival in Jerusalem. After Alexander the Great died, Greece was divided up into four, divisional kingdoms.  The last horn that grows represents one of the kings of one of those kingdoms, and it may be said to be Antiochus IV Epiphanes.  This is one of the great villains of history and most people don't even know he existed! Antiochus loved clashing with the Greece-run side of Egypt.  Antiochus was so frustrated that he couldn't take over Egypt, so he started persecuting the Jews, as Israel was smack dab in the middle of the two Greek run kingdoms. Antiochus thus became the first ruler that systematically persecuted the Jewish people.  He made the Jewish religion illegal, essentially.  Eventually Judas Maccabee lead the Jews in a revolt against Antiochus.  They purified the Temple in a holiday still celebrated as Hanukkah.  Antiochus did suffer a bad fate, being struck with intestinal parasites!  Yuck! How do we know the Bible is true, to get back to our theme?  The Bible can be trusted because prophesy is accurate.  And it has stood the test of time. The Word of God has prophesy and its fulfillment, time and time again.! All this shows us that the Word of God can be trusted.   Verses can be found today in Daniel, Chapter 8.

Daniel's Vision of Beasts and Judgments. Today, Pastor Michael is continuing his study on Daniel.  Last week he covered Daniels dreams from Chapter 7 with the four fantastic beasts, that represented four world empires.  He only lived to see two of them: Babylon and Persian but Greece and Rome were coming down the line. Why would God bother to enshrine these empires in prophesy?  These four world empires played a huge part in getting the story of Jesus out to the world.   Babylon ensured that the Jews would take the Lord seriously and never turn back to idols.  The Persian empire gave them a fresh start in the promised land. Greece allowed a language that would be widely spoken across the civilized world. Rome owned practically everything.  It was safe to travel and they built roads and infrastructure.  We now have a world where the good news of Jesus could be spread across the world.   Salvation and renewal made it across the world because of these four civilizations.  God orchestrated the flow of human history so that we could get to know him through his Son.  So we pick up the story with the fourth beast, representing Rome.  There are ten horns on this beast and a little horn came up amongst the other horns and it had eyes and a mouth and was actually speaking! This represents another king and kingdom, one far worse that Rome.   Daniel 7:8 (ESV Study Bible Notes) Even more surprisingly, another small horn came up among the horns, uprooting three of the 10 others. This horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly. If this vision corresponds to the statue in ch. 2, then it would represent the Roman Empire and emphasize its ruthlessness. The Roman Empire was significantly different than the earlier empires, for it far surpassed them in power, longevity, and influence. The world had never before seen anything like it. The 10 horns could emphasize the extreme power of this empire (five times the normal number of two horns), or more likely it signifies 10 rulers or kingdoms (cf. Dan. 7:24; from Julius Caesar to Domitian there are actually 12 Caesars; but two reigned for only a few months). The little horn was significantly different than the others, for it had teeth of iron, claws of bronze, and eyes like the eyes of a man. It started “little” but grew up to overpower three of the other horns. Some scholars understand this horn to refer to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, but many have understood it to refer to the Antichrist. Further along, we start seeing the Lord on His throne.  His hair is white, symbolizing wisdom and his clothes also are white, repressing purity.  He has a thousand thousand (likely how Daniel saw an uncountable number) serving him, likely the angels standing before him.  This is where the Lord judges the beasts. Daniel 7:9-10 (ESV Study Bible Notes) The scene depicts in powerful imagery a judge who has the wisdom to sort out right from wrong, the purity to persistently choose the right, and the power to enforce his judgments. Even though the beast with the boastful horn continued to mouth defiance at the heavenly court, it was swiftly slain and its body thrown into the fire. 7:10 Ten thousand times ten thousand is meant as a picture of an innumerable multitude, representing not one kingdom but all the kingdoms of the earth standing before God (cf. Rev. 5:11). The books that were opened represent God's records of the deeds of those on the earth (cf. Dan. 12:1; Luke 10:20; Rev. 20:12, which echo this passage). The Coming of the Son of Man. After the beasts were judged and the fourth beast slain, Daniel's vision turns to the coming of the Son of Man. (ESV Study Bible Notes) 7:13–14 The Coming of the Son of Man. The one like a son of man combines in one person both human and divine traits. Elsewhere, this phrase “son of man” often distinguishes mere human beings from God (e.g., Ps. 8:4; Ezek. 2:1). However, this son of man seems also greater than any mere human, for to “come on the clouds” is a clear symbol of divine authority (cf. Ps. 104:3; Isa. 19:1). This “son of man” is given dominion and glory and a kingdom (Dan. 7:14; cf. ESV footnote at v. 27; this is parallel to God's dominion, 4:34), which at present resides in the hands of human kings such as Nebuchadnezzar (cf. 5:18). But he is far greater than Nebuchadnezzar, because he will rule over the entire world forever: all peoples, nations, and languages will serve (or worship) him, and his dominion . . . shall not pass away (7:14). Thus, he must be much more than a personified representative of Israel (cf. vv. 18, 27), and certainly more than a mere angel, for no created being would have the right to rule the entire world forever. Jesus claims he will fulfill this role (cf. Mark 14:61–62), and it is ultimately fulfilled in Rev. 19:11–16 when Jesus comes at the end of the age to judge and rule the nations. Jesus refers to himself as “son of man” more than any other title (see notes on Matt. 8:20; John 1:51). This title was used in the OT in two different ways, first, to refer to a mere human being (see esp. Ezekiel, where it is used over 90 times referring to Ezekiel), and second, to refer to the son of man in Dan. 7:13, who is a divine being dwelling in heaven with the Ancient of Days. When people heard Jesus use the term “son of man” for himself, they had to decide which type of “son of man” he was. Technically he was both, but it took faith to believe he was like the “son of man” in Daniel. At the end of Jesus' ministry, when he claimed to be this heavenly “son of man” predicted in Daniel's vision, his opponents said he had committed blasphemy (see notes on Matt. 8:20; 24:30; 26:64). The summary of all of this is, it's a fantastical, hard-to-fathom story of Daniel's vision of beasts and the Lord on His throne and judging these beasts (and therefore, the kingdoms they represent).  Yet it all is to open up the door to the entry of the Son of Man.  Jesus, our Lord.   “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” Verses can be found today in Daniel, Chapter 7: 7-28.

Laodicea is trying to be the bride of the Anti-Christ and Jesus Christ. This does not work and Jesus tells them that he would rather they were one or the other, but not both. Jesus rejects this church and tells then to repent, so that they may be saved. You will also learn about the connection between the name Laodicea and Laodice. This city was named after Laodice IV, and she was the bride of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who was a big picture and type of the future Anti-Christ. #TheWholeBible #GeorgeCrabb #ChurchInLaodicea --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/george-crabb7/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/george-crabb7/support

Laodicea is trying to be the bride of the Anti-Christ and Jesus Christ. This does not work and Jesus tells them that he would rather they were one or the other, but not both. Jesus rejects this church and tells then to repent, so that they may be saved. You will also learn about the connection between the name Laodicea and Laodice. This city was named after Laodice IV, and she was the bride of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who was a big picture and type of the future Anti-Christ. #TheWholeBible #GeorgeCrabb #ChurchInLaodicea --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/george-crabb7/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/george-crabb7/support

David and Phil talk about Antiochus IV Epiphanes - the little horn of the Greek Empire and whom many considered to be the Antichrist of Revelation. They share that while he was a type of antichrist, he is not the Antichrist of Revelation that will appear in the Tribulation.

* Three weeks ago, we began considering the prophetical portion of the book of Daniel. * Last week, we saw how the prophecy contained within chapter 8 has already been fulfilled during the days of Antiochus IV - Epiphanes, and historically recorded in the writings of the Hasmoneans, in First and Second Maccabees. * Today, we will consider the first half of chapter 9. In this chapter, we see the affect that studying prophecy has upon the very prophet whose writings we are studying! Daniel was a student of God's word and even the writings of other contemporary prophets, such as Jeremiah! As Daniel reads the word of God, he realizes that he is actually living in the days of the fulfillment of other prophecy! May we learn from the life and prayer of this godly man! * This message was presented on March 13, 2022 by Bob Corbin.

The setting of 1st and 2nd Maccabees is about a century and a half after the conquest of Judea by the Greeks under Alexander the Great. It tells how the Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes attempted to suppress the Jewish religion, resulting in the Maccabean Revolt from 175 to 134 BCE. Originally included in the King James Bible, 1st and 2nd Maccabees is a thrilling historical account of the guerrilla warfare in which, with God's help, the Maccabean brothers Judas, Jonathan and Simon were empowered to win extraordinary victories against vastly superior armies and restore an independent Israelite kingdom and religion.

Daniel: Daniel 11:21-The Prophecy of Antiochus IV Epiphanes Seizing the Throne Through Intrigue-Lesson # 338

It is the 2nd century BC, and the land of Judea, homeland of the Jews, is ruled by the Seleucid Kingdom based in Syria. Subjected to a militant crackdown on their religious traditions, the Jews rebel against the Seleucid king Antiochus, and rally behind the leadership of Judas Maccabeus. The success of the Maccabean Revolt and Judas' restoration of the Temple of Jerusalem bring hope to the Jewish people, a legacy celebrated with the sacred festival of Hanukkah that endures to this day. A story from the ancient Mediterranean world, based on 1 and 2 Maccabees, featuring: Judas Maccabeus, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, Mattathias, Simon Thassi, Jason, Menelaus --- CREDITS: Music by Scott Buckley Episode Thumbnail Image: Scene of Judas and the Maccabees facing a Seleucid army (Or Torah Synagogue, Acre, Israel) WDS Logo Image: Kylix with Apollo playing the lyre and pouring a libation: c. 470 BC, Delphi Archeological Museum --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

“Bad” Books of the Bible returns with an essential chapter in Jewish history. 1 Maccabees 1 covers the rise of tyrant and “madman” Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Jews that tried to accommodate Greek dominance, and the start of resistance.

COMMENTARY Yesterday, we read the introduction to the final vision of Daniel. Today's reading reveals the message of the vision, which was “written in the book of truth” (Daniel 10:21; 11:2). This message reads like a history book. It recounts the rise and fall of various kings and kingdoms in the ancient Near East. These kings are not referred to by their names but are easily identified by the activities attributed to them. For example, the “mighty king” of Greece whose kingdom is “broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven” is undoubtedly Alexander the Great, the Greek emperor whose kingdom was divided between four generals after his sudden and early death in 323 BC (Daniel 11:3-4). Likewise, the “king of the North” who abolishes daily sacrifices, installs “the abomination that causes desolation” in the temple, and murders those who remain faithful to God is Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Greek-Syrian tyrant who terrorized Judeans before his death in 164 BC (Daniel 11:28, 31, 33). A good study Bible or commentary will help readers make these connections, but you don't need to know exactly who each king is in this chapter in order to understand the point. Repetitious words and themes drive home the big idea. King after king will “arise” to power (Daniel 11:2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 16, 20, 21, 31). They will do whatever “pleases” them without concern for others (Daniel 11:3, 16, 36). But no matter how invincible they seem, each will meet their own “end” (Daniel 11:27, 35, 40, 45). These repetitions emphasize the fact that human history tends to follow certain patterns. Just as Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius were all humbled in their own ways after they arrogantly afflicted Daniel and his contemporaries, many other violent kings would arise and fall. For Judeans who faced the prospect of being “burned,” “captured,” or “plundered” by these kings, this survey of history must have served as a source of hope (Daniel 11:33). God saw their suffering, and He would bring down their oppressors at His “appointed time” (Daniel 11:27, 29, 35). This message continues to be “truth” for us today (Daniel 11:2). Those with power might do what pleases them for the time being, but the seemingly unstoppable empires of the world are really just transient to God. He will bring victory to His people, in this life or the next. SCRIPTURE DANIEL 11:2–45 THE KINGS OF THE SOUTH AND THE NORTH 2 “Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. 3 Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases. 4 After he has arisen, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted and given to others. 5 “The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power. 6 After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power will not last. In those days she will be betrayed, together with her royal escort and her father and the one who supported her. 7 “One from her family line will arise to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the North and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be victorious. 8 He will also seize their gods, their metal images and their valuable articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt. For some years he will leave the king of the North alone. 9 Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own country. 10 His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will sweep on like an irresistible flood and carry the battle as far as his fortress. 11 “Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated. 12 When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not remain triumphant. 13 For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped. 14 “In those times many will rise against the king of the South. Those who are violent among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success. 15 Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand. 16 The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it. 17 He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans will not succeed or help him. 18 Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on him. 19 After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to be seen no more. 20 “His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle. 21 “He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. 22 Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. 23 After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. 24 When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time. 25 “With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. 26 Those who eat from the king's provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. 27 The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time. 28 The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country. 29 “At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. 30 Ships of the western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. 33 “Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. 34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. 35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. THE KING WHO EXALTS HIMSELF 36 “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. 37 He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. 38 Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price. 40 “At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. 41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. 42 He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. 43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Cushites in submission. 44 But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. QUESTIONS 1. The situation of faithful people in Daniel 11:33-35 parallels the situations of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 1, 3, and 6. All were forced to choose between life or loyalty to God. Unfortunately, some described in Daniel 11 were not immediately rescued by God as their predecessors had been. How do we make sense of God's seemingly haphazard dealings with the world? Can we? What is the message of Daniel 11 for those who don't experience immediate earthly rescue? 2. Daniel 11:32 indicates that those “who know their God will firmly resist” evil powers like Antiochus IV Epiphanes. How were people back then supposed to show resistance? What do you suppose godly resistance looks like today?

COMMENTARY Today's reading continues the occasion of Daniel 9. We've seen Daniel praying to God after reflecting on Jeremiah's prophecy about the seventy years of captivity. Now, Daniel receives a vision from the angel Gabriel, which reveals more about the exile of the people of God. In Daniel 9:24, Gabriel says, “Seventy ‘sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.” In other words, exile was not entirely over for the people of God. They would return to the land of Judah, but even there, their suffering would continue for “seventy ‘sevens'.” The phrase “seventy ‘sevens'” has been the subject of endless debate. Most scholars agree that the phrase means seventy “seven-year intervals” or 490 years. They draw this conclusion by comparison with Leviticus 25:8, which talks about how an event known as the Year of Jubilee should occur after seven “seven-year intervals” or 49 years. Beyond that, scholars have offered endless interpretations about when this 490-year period might begin and end. Verses 25-27 complicate things even more. Those verses subdivide the 490 years into periods of 49 years, 434 years, and 7 years. No matter when this 490-year period is thought to begin or end, it is virtually impossible to line up all these time frames with dates of significance in Jewish and Christian history, if that is even the correct understanding in the first place. Instead of trying to force the numbers to add up, it is probably best to interpret Daniel's seventy “sevens” as theological math, a common phenomenon in the Bible where the significance of a number is not in its numerical value, but in what it symbolically conveys. A good example of this is in Matthew 18:21-22, which uses the same numbers as Daniel 9. When Peter asks Jesus if he should forgive someone up to seven times, Jesus responds, “No, not seven times, but seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22 NLT). The point isn't that Peter should forgive someone precisely 490 times and that would be enough. Given that the number seven often conveys ideas of completion or perfection in the Bible (and much more the number 490), the point is that Peter should forgive as many times as is necessary. In a similar way, Daniel 9 seems to be expressing that at the complete and perfect time, God would act on behalf of His powerless people. This is certainly how Jesus and the New Testament writers understood the mission of Jesus. As Paul writes in Romans 5:6, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” (cf. Mark 1:15; Galatians 4:4; Ephesians 1:10). So rather than spending our time attempting to calculate exactly when certain events did or may yet take place, we should instead spend our energies creating communities that demonstrate the qualities that God has required of His people since the beginning: justice, righteousness, and self-giving love. SCRIPTURE DANIEL 9:20–27 THE SEVENTY “SEVENS” 20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill—21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 23 As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision: 24 “Seventy ‘sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. 25 “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,' and sixty-two ‘sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,' the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.' In the middle of the ‘seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.” QUESTIONS 1. Daniel 9:21 indicates that Daniel received an answer to his prayer while he was still praying. Why do you suppose God was so quick to speak to Daniel? 2. Many scholars see the details of Daniel 9:26-27 as describing the events of 171-164 BC when Antiochus IV Epiphanes killed an “anointed” priest, “put an end” to Jewish worship, and installed an “abomination that causes desolation” in the Temple. If this is the case, then in Mark 13, Jesus reapplied these symbols to his first century context because many similar things were happening in His own day. He as God's anointed would be killed, and the Jerusalem Temple would be destroyed by the Romans. Why do you suppose history seems to repeat so often? What does the end of this vision (and really all the visions of Daniel) teach us about the end of each cycle of history?

COMMENTARY Daniel 8 contains another vision of beasts and horns, which represent kings and kingdoms. Unlike previous visions, this vision gives some specific interpretations for these images. The first image Daniel sees is a two-horned ram, a representation of the “kings of Media and Persia” (Daniel 8:20). Then, Daniel sees a shaggy goat with a prominent horn, a representation of “the first king” of “Greece,” Alexander the Great (Daniel 8:21). The final image Daniel sees is a small horn emerging from the goat. This horn is not explicitly identified, but most scholars agree that it represents Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a later Greek-Syrian tyrant. Scholars draw this conclusion because the proud exploits attributed to this horn are known to be true of Antiochus. For example, verse 11 says that the small horn “took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord.” This is a reference to Antiochus' decision in 167 BC to ban the worship of Yahweh and murder anyone who defied his order. Also in verse 11, it says that the horn claimed divine status when it “set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord.” Antiochus famously claimed to be God when he accepted the title “Epiphanes,” a title meaning “God manifest.” The visions of Daniel 9 and 11 will also point to the corrupt deeds of Antiochus, an indication of just how barbaric he was. Even though this vision of Antiochus was so disturbing that Daniel was “appalled,” the message of the vision was still one of hope (Daniel 8:27). Hard times would continue to fall on the people of God, but like all the arrogant kings Daniel had encountered, this oppressor would meet his “end” at God's “appointed time” (Daniel 8:19). This is the message we should take away from the vision. Sometimes it's not clear what God is doing or if He even cares. In reality, He sees the plight of those who are hurt by callous authorities. God's request is simply that we stay faithful in the waiting and trust that He will make things right at the appointed time. SCRIPTURE DANIEL 8 DANIEL'S VISION OF A RAM AND A GOAT 1 In the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had already appeared to me. 2 In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. 4 I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and became great. 5 As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. 6 It came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at it in great rage. 7 I saw it attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it, and none could rescue the ram from its power. 8 The goat became very great, but at the height of its power the large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. 9 Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. 10 It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. 11 It set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord; it took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord, and his sanctuary was thrown down. 12 Because of rebellion, the Lord's people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the Lord's people?” 14 He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.” THE INTERPRETATION OF THE VISION 15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. 16 And I heard a man's voice from the Ulai calling, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision.” 17 As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.” 18 While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet. 19 He said: “I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end. 20 The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king. 22 The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power. 23 “In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. 24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. 25 He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power. 26 “The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.” 27 I, Daniel, was worn out. I lay exhausted for several days. Then I got up and went about the king's business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding. QUESTIONS 1. The vision of Daniel 8 contains a number of parallels to previous stories and visions. What parallels do you notice between the actions of kings in this vision and the actions of kings in previous stories? What do you suppose the book is trying to teach us through these patterns? 2. Daniel 8:27 says that Daniel “got up and went about the king's business” despite being “exhausted” and “appalled” by his vision. What do you suppose gave him the resolve to continue working for a king (i.e., Belshazzar [see verse 1]) who was not fundamentally different than the horn he saw in the vision? How does Daniel's example speak to you?

Antiochus IV gave himself the title “Epiphanes,” which was basically his admission that he wanted his subjects to think of him as god. That’s why the angel speaking to Daniel called him contemptible. That and he was also going to be the worst persecutor of the Jews until Hitler. Population Growth in Egypt 10 Week […] The post Antiochus IV Epiphanes | Daniel 11:21-28 | Week 9 Day 3 | Daily Devotional first appeared on DarrenHibbs.com.