Teachinghearts |
Introduction to Daniel and Revelation
"Explore the Word. Change the World"
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Lesson 1:
Time: 40 minutes
Print: 8 pages |
Welcome to the interesting world of Bible prophecy.
Before you begin, there are a few basic principles that you should understand and a few tools that you will need.
Principles
Christians have understood how to interpret Daniel because God Himself interpreted the first group of prophecies given to Daniel and the king.
From that we understand several things:
- Symbols. God often used symbols to communicate the details of prophecy - especially those that are far into the future.
- Principles. There are certain features of prophecy that sometimes lead to confusion.
The best way to understand all related prophecies is to identify the similar elements and go back and forth until you have established the sequence of events and their details.
- Repetition and Enlargement.
You will see this principle operating throughout all of prophecy.
God will often repeat a prophecy in later visions, using different symbols and adding more detail or emphasizing a particular section.
You will see that each prophecy is related to a previous prophecy so that none stands on its own.
However, the different symbols might cause you to think that it is a different prophecy.
The prophecies of Daniel demonstrate this quite remarkably.
- Wheel within a Wheel. Repetition takes the same prophecy and uses different symbols to emphasize a different view of the same time in which the prophecy is fulfilled.
But the "wheel within a wheel" takes a prophecy and repeats the same pattern of events at different points in time.
Usually a prophecy that occurs over a long time period ends with a period of real time and events that matches the long period. It helps to identify the end of the prophecy or to mark important points in time.
There is more than one fulfillment in time, but all the events are related so that they must be seen as one great fulfillment.
| Prophecy | Prophetic Time | Long Period (Big Wheel) | Short Period (Little Wheel) |
| Length of Papal Rule | 1260 Days (3½ Years) | 1260 year rule (538-1798) | 3½ Years of French revolution |
| Rejection of Christ | 70 Weeks (490 Years) | Last 7 Years for Jews | Last 7 days of Christ |
| Last 3 Days of Christ | 3 Days | He suffered in a repeating cyclic pattern that grew worse |
| Fall of Babylon | 7 years | 2520 years | Last 7 years |
You will eventually understand this as you study the prophecies.
The prophecies of the seven trumpets, Daniel 11 and probably the ten toes of Daniel 2 are also examples.
» Patterns and Types. God appears to act in a prescribed pattern when He acts according to His agreements.
So, history or prophecy might appear to "repeat itself". You will find a remarkable similarity between different prophecies that are fulfilled at different times.
Usually, these occur with the judgments of God because the covenant legally specifies a certain set of actions for blessings or judgment.
The common time period of three and a half years or 42 months for the wicked and 40 months for the righteous are based on an agricultural law for harvesting fruit trees in the fourth year.
The curses and the time prophecies and the events that mark their end points are examples.
» Local Fulfillment. In a creative way, God uses symbols that are familiar to the local people who will experience the beginning or end of a long prophecy.
This gives the church confidence in the historical fulfillment of prophecy when each generation sees events being fulfilled.
Ultimately, the primary fulfillment must lie within the sanctuary and the Hebrew culture and will only be properly recognized at the end.
But God sometimes develops local applications as subliminal messages and beacons to generations that must be awake to witness important prophetic signposts.
It appears that these points in time highlight a time or event that is a part of the global fulfillment.
The number 666, the rise of Babylon the Great and the French Revolution are examples.
- Time Dilation or Compression. The language sometimes includes events that span hundreds or thousands of years in a single sentence.
This might lead one to assume that the events occur as one set of historical events in a short period of time.
The mystery can be solved by looking at repetitions that have a time sequence.
The prophecy of the resurrections in Daniel 12 and the events of the Second Coming are examples.
The resurrection of the righteous and wicked appear to occur on the same day in Daniel 12, but Revelation 20 shows us that 1000 years separate both events.
- Sanctuary. The sanctuary, feasts, covenants and the journey of Israel from Egypt to Canaan are the source of all symbols and patterns.
Interpretations based on these meanings are ultimately the real fulfillments.
Therefore, whether or not there are repetitions and patterns, there is ultimately one major fulfillment based on these symbols. If we had the proper perspective, we could look back over long periods of time to see the global fulfillment.
- Church. His church or His people are the central focus of all the prophecies.
Therefore, a political power or empire is important because they affect the people of God, not because of their size or other influence and accomplishments.
Our historical analysis shows that the other great empires came around the time of the Roman empire, after the empires named by Daniel, but they were never the subject of prophecies because they did not affect the chosen people.
Tools
- Bible. Use a version that is a direct translation of the original language.
Do not use a paraphrase.
Also be aware that there is a criticism of the newer versions (NIV, NASB) that they deliberately
lower the status of Christ so that evidence of His divinity is unclear. So compare any modern version with the King James Version.
- Prayer. Always invite God to study with you. It is the Holy Spirit who will guide you.
- Concordance. For more in depth personal study, use a concordance instead of commentaries.
Significant Prophecies
The final goal of all prophecy is to show the progress of the Plan of Salvation.
They show how God rescues us from the forces of evil and from sin.
- Sanctuary and Feast. Rituals that prophesied about the role of Christ in the Plan of Salvation.
The Feasts give some indication of the timing and the order of each prophetic event. The covenant is the legal document that authorizes this plan.
- Daniel. Illustrates the succession of powers that would conquer God's people from the time of the Babylonian captivity
to the Second Coming of Christ.
- Revelation. Illustrates the succession of powers from the time of Christ to the eradication of sin from the earth.
- Jesus. Gives details about the signs of the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and His future Second Coming.
- Paul. Prophecies about the Antichrist and the resurrection.
- Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Psalms. The prophecies of the old testament prophets who lived at the time of the Babylonian captivity are all relevant to us today.
The Law and the Prophets
... all things written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.
(Luke 24: 44)
The events of prophecy also obey the law, even Jesus says so.
In some cases, certain laws seem so strange that one must conclude that the law itself is a prophecy that was meant to be kept by the people so that they would understand the actions of God in the future.
Since words change meaning and emphasis over time, God placed some important knowledge about His Messiah, the Plan of Salvation and the schedule of salvation in
the repetitive actions of the feasts, laws, customs and symbols because a proper understanding must be available for thousands of years.
Let us look at some unusual laws that skeptics tend to ridicule.
- The Blessings and Curses. Jesus suffered the pattern of the wrath of God for three days until His death.
- The Passover Seder. Jesus followed the pattern of all the symbols on the day He died.
- The Camp Sites. The names of the 12 sons, the location of the tribes around the sanctuary and the duties of the Levites in dismantling the sanctuary are a prophecy of the final week in the life of Christ.
- Clean Animals. Only certain animals could represent the work, life, death and resurrection of Christ because the physical structure and behavior that is unique to their group is a symbol of Jesus.
- Boiling a Young Goat in His Mother's Milk. This shows that Jesus would not continue His suffering as the sin offering until He had formally separated from His mother.
- Honeymoon for One Year. A groom should not work or perform military service during the first year of his marriage.
Jesus interrupts the preparations for the war of Armageddon to enjoy His one thousand year honeymoon with the church before He judges and fights Satan and the wicked.
- Water of Jealousy. This test for infidelity is a prophecy about what would happen when Israel was rejected.
- The Cleansing of a Woman. This is a ritual that represents the time table and the manner in which the church will be cleansed from sin.
- Wearing Clothes of Two Materials. When the people of God come into the sanctuary dressed in linen that does not cause sweating, it is a symbol of their righteousness by faith not righteousness by works.
- Planting a Field with Different Seeds. This is a symbol of the difficulty of the harvest that is created by the enemy of God.
- The First Fruits Harvests. God demonstrates that He will save various groups.
- Fruit Tree Harvest. The fruits are forbidden for three years, but are offered at the sanctuary of God in the fourth year.
It is a symbol of the harvest of the righteous and the time before they can physically come to the sanctuary in heaven.
- The Leper People and Planet.
Critics mock the bible and its medical ineptness, claiming that the bible says that a leper can be cured with a piece of wood, a red string and two birds.
The bible did not use these items to cure the leper, it used them after the priest examined the leper and concluded that he was healed.
In the Middle Ages, a doctor looked at the concept of quarantine that the bible used for leprosy and instituted that as a procedure during the ravages of the plague. It worked.
The ritual gives the procedure for accepting the leper after they have been cleansed. This ritual does not cure the person or property of leprosy without intervention by God.
It shows how we will be accepted back into the community of heaven through the sacrifice of Christ, after a period of quarantine.
- The Leper Messiah. The Messiah would be scorned by His own people.
All these laws are explained in detail in various prophecies.
Rather than being a statement about the preference for one group or the unworthiness of another, it is a statement about the efforts of God for the salvation of the world and His determination to separate the righteous from the wicked.
When critics ridicule the laws they forget the other laws that are meant to bring the wicked into the camp of the righteous.
Both types of laws cannot be seen as enemies of each other but as parts of one great plan by God to separate in order to save.
This does not mean that these laws should not be kept once the symbol is understood. They will still be kept in the future after the Second Coming because there is a moral basis for them.
Symbols
We have a separate page that discusses the meaning of many symbols.
However we will list a few here.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|
| Day | One year in real time is one day in prophecy.
All time prophecies are based on the thirty day month.
The most common time prophecy is the 1260 years of Papal domination known as:
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42 months
1260 days
3½ years
Time, times and half a time
Time, times and the dividing of time
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|
Prophetic
Time | Real
Time |
1 Year
(1 time) | 360 Years |
| 1 Month | 30 Years |
| 1 Week | 7 Years |
| 1 Day | 1 Year |
| 1 Hour | 15 Days |
| ½ Hour | 7½ Days |
| About ½ Hour | 8 Days |
|
|---|
| Beast | Political power. Parts of a beast ( horns, and head) also mean a power |
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| Colors | White - purity. Black - sin. Red - death.
Green - life. Blue - law. Yellow - Perfect character |
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| Sea, water | People. A spring or fresh water is the righteous. The turbulent sea is the wicked |
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| Grass, Tree | People. A green, watered tree is the righteous |
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| Woman | Church. A good woman is the true church and a prostitute is an apostate church |
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Structure of Daniel
Comparison of the Visions of Daniel
| Power | Daniel 2 | Daniel 4 | Daniel 7 | Daniel 8-9 | Daniel 11-12 |
|---|
| 603/602 B.C. | 553 B.C. | 551 B.C. and 542 B.C. | 536 B.C. |
| Babylon | Head of gold | Tree | Lion | - | - |
| Medo-Persia | Chest of silver | Cut down | Bear | Ram | Four Persian kings |
| Greece | Belly and thighs
of brass | Bronze
band | Leopard | Goat | Mighty king |
| Rome (pagan) | Legs of iron | Iron band | Terrible beast | Little horn grows horizontally | Kings of the north and south |
| Rome (papal) | Little horn | Little horn grows vertically | King of the North |
| Europe | Ten toes | Roots | Ten horns | - |
| Messiah | - | Holy One | Son of Man | Daniel 9 (542 B.C.) | Prince of the Covenant |
| Kingdom of God | Rock | Judged | Judgment | Sanctuary cleansed | Michael stands up |
| Symbols | Metal man | Tree | Unclean animals | Sanctuary animals | 2300 day details |
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| Source | Pagan ages | Curses | Yom Kippur |
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| View | Military, political | Legal covenant | Religious | Satanic Attack |
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| Dreamer | Nebuchadnezzar | Daniel | Daniel | Daniel |
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The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation are very relevant for the end of time. Jesus' parting words to his disciples are a warning to study the book of Daniel for ourselves.
"Therefore, when you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoever reads, let him understand) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
... But you pray that your flight is not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day:"
(Matthew 24: 15-16, 20)
Jesus warned the people of His day that the destruction of Jerusalem was imminent.
And He commanded them to read and understand the book of Daniel. But Jesus' warning in Matthew 24: 15 also has application for the end of time because it is a prophecy which forecasts the end of the world and the Second Coming.
The book reveals with uncanny accuracy the 2,500 years of human history since the time of ancient Babylon. And it shines the prophetic searchlight of Bible Prophecy upon our day. Confucius said "A picture is worth a thousand words." In the Book of Daniel, God's method is picture symbolism. He paints the scenes of human history with pictures.
Comparison of the Types of Symbols
You will notice that the type of symbols used is related to the one who received the vision,
and the detail introduced.
- Daniel 2 (Metal Man). This vision was the military history of the world given to King Nebuchadnezzar.
In the transition from precious to common metals, God probably wanted to impress upon the king
the relative greatness of his kingdom as compared to the kingdoms that will follow.
Although the vision does not give any detail, the rock might have been a precious gem stone - more valuable than all the metals.
God also took images from the religious beliefs of that period which were familiar to the Pagan king.
The Greeks, Persians and Indians divided time into four ages and sometimes seven ages.
Each age was represented by a metal that was inferior to the metal of the previous age.
Even though the symbols were of Pagan origin, God used familiar religious concepts to teach the king.
| The Ages of the World |
|---|
| # | Nebuchadnezzar | Hinduism | Persian | Greek |
|---|
| The Metal Image | Ages (Yugas) | Metals | Four Ages | Seven Ages | Hesoid | Ovid |
|---|
| 1 | Gold | Satya or Krita yuga | Gold | Gold | Gold | Gold | Gold |
| 2 | Silver | Treta yuga | Silver | Silver | Silver | Silver | Silver |
| 3 | Brass or Bronze | Dvapara yuga | Copper | Steel | Brass | Bronze | Bronze |
| 4 | Iron | Kali yuga | Dark or Iron Age | Mixed Iron | Copper | Heroes | Iron |
| 5 | Iron and clay | Tin | Iron |
| 6 | Steel |
| 7 | Iron |
» Greek. We get the story of the Ages of Man described by Hesiod in the eighth century B.C. (gold, silver, bronze, heroes and iron). Another list from Ovid includes gold, silver, bronze and iron only.
» Persian. The four ages are (gold, silver, steel and mixed iron), and the seven ages are (gold, silver, brass, copper, tin, steel and iron).
In all these beliefs, each period is progressively worse.
Therefore, Nebuchadnezzar must have been delighted to learn that he was the king of the golden empire.
» Hindu. They also have the same division and they may be the source of this belief that migrated to Babylon.
- Daniel 4 (Tree). This vision was given to Nebuchadnezzar. He was the tree that was planted and cut down.
- Daniel 7 (Unclean Animals). This vision was given to Daniel.
As a Hebrew, he was familiar with the concept of clean and unclean animals. This showed that God allowed the judgment of the Hebrews because of the broken covenant. They would be captured by wild beasts as the curse dictated.
God wanted to illustrate that the earthly kingdoms are inferior and corrupt and unclean and
that His kingdom will one day prevail over them.
- Daniel 8 (Sanctuary Animals). This vision was given to Daniel. It showed the religious devastation of Israel by these alien powers.
This was different in that it used clean animals, specifically animals from the ceremony on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
The reason might be tied to the details given about the attack on the sanctuary by the apostate church.
We see sanctuary symbols from the Day of Atonement attacking the people.
For the first time, we see the Roman kingdom operating on two levels.
At first it grew horizontally, in the direction of the four winds (Verse 8).
Then in verse 10 it grows up to heaven and does destructive damage to heavenly systems.
Finally, a judgment convenes and the sanctuary is cleansed or restored to its proper place.
The use of sanctuary animals would immediately signal a religious view of prophecy.
And that is what happened. The religious role of Rome is introduced.
- Daniel 9 (Detail). This vision was given to Daniel.
The vision about the Messiah who came to fulfill the covenant was not to be shrouded in great symbolism and mystery.
It must be clear and emphasize the covenant.
- Daniel 11-12 (Detail). This vision was given to Daniel.
This was given in great detail that is largely non-symbolic. It shows the satanic role of the powers. It expands on other aspects of
the 2300 days of Daniel 9 and ties it into the kingdoms of the previous visions.
Over the years, the previous visions had introduced all the relevant themes.
Now, this vision can be more direct about the principal individuals and players.
It was also meant to supplement the vision of Daniel 9, which introduced the
prophecy of the Messiah.
Here, the concern of the vision was to give great detail about the rulers during the time of the Messiah.
Structure of Revelation
While Daniel shows that God will keep His covenant by sending the blessings and curses;
He also shows that God will also keep the covenant by sending the Messiah and resurrecting the righteous and punishing the wicked.
Revelation also shows how God will keep the covenant but it shows in detail how God does this through the feasts.
The series of visions are presented in the order of the feasts. It begins with the Passover Lamb and ends with the feast of Tabernacles.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ was written by the apostle John while he was exiled on the Isle of Patmos.
It begins with prophecies from the time of Christ and it uses the language and symbols of all the earlier
prophets like Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Joel. He reveals the role of Jesus as each phase of the Plan of Salvation is fulfilled in history.
He deals with all outstanding, unfulfilled prophecy and enlarges on the events at the end of time.
| Symbols of Revelation |
| God Acts | Feasts | Jesus | Chapter | Topic | Discussion | Comments |
| Jesus | Passover |
Lamb | 1 | Jesus | Introduction | The passover Lamb and the church for which He died. |
| Shepherd | 2 - 3 | Seven Churches | The churches |
| Wavesheaf | Priest, King | 4 - 5 | Wavesheaf in Heaven | The offering of Jesus is accepted |
| The World Responds to the Holy Spirit and the covenant | Pentecost |
Covenant Keeper | 6 | Seven Seals | The wicked reject the covenant | The history of the church and their political battles on the earth with the empires and leaders. God's reaction is that He judges His church and calls a Remnant. |
| 7 | The sealing. The church is chosen |
| Trumpets |
Judge | 8 - 10 | Seven Trumpets | The world is judged |
| The Legal Case for Reward or Punishment | Day of Atonement |
11 | The church is judged |
| Son of Man, Human | 12 - 13 | Dragon and the beasts | The church opposed by the world | The same period viewed as a spiritual battle of the church and God with the forces of Satan. God's reaction is that He rewards the church. |
| Census Taker | 14 | Three angel's message | The final warning to the world |
| Judgment | Rock | 15 | Seven Last plagues | Prayers of the church |
| Blood Avenger | 16 | The wicked are rejected |
| 17 - 18 | Babylon falls | Babylon falls | The physical and spiritual worlds meet and executive judgment is given. God punishes the wicked. |
| Bridegroom | 19 | The church is rescued |
| Tabernacles |
Executioner | 20 | Millennium and Hell | Fall of Satan. The church goes home |
| God Rules | King | 21 - 22 | The New Creation | Victory of the Church | God creates a new home for His children |
| Passover | Wavesheaf | Pentecost |
Trumpets | Day of Atonement |
Tabernacles |
| 1-3 | 4-5 | 6 | 7 |
8-11 | 10 | 11 |
12-13 |
14-15 |
16-19 |
14, 20-22 |
| Lamb | Church |
Accepted |
Seals | Sealing |
Judgment | Remnant |
Legal Case |
Satan's empire |
Warning |
Destruction |
Rescued |
| Covenant kept (Daniel 9) |
Blessing |
continual removed | Restored |
Abomination |
Time of Trouble |
Desolation |
Blessing |
| Seed planted |
Rain, Harvest |
Summer Drought |
Rain |
Harvest |
| Shepherd Priest |
King |
Judge |
Reaper |
Bridegroom |
| Exodus |
Law given |
Judgment in the wilderness |
Census |
Law repeated |
Jerusalem |
Other Old Testament Prophecies
... all things written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.
(Luke 24: 44)
Most Old Testament prophecies that are significant to Jesus and the end time are taught in the Sanctuary and Feasts of Israel.
You will notice that these prophecies emphasize the restoration of the righteous.
The feasts show when and what event will occur, and what actions God will be taking. The Sanctuary shows where it will be occurring and what actions the saints will be taking.
The fate of the wicked is not discussed in detail.
| Feasts | Sanctuary | Comments |
| Passover | Outer Court | Altar of sacrifice | The crucifixion of Christ for the sins of the righteous |
| Pentecost | Holy Place | Menorah, table with the bread and wine, altar of prayer | The Holy Spirit comes to fulfill the covenant to make us righteous |
| Yom Kippur | Holy Place | The righteous are judged favorably as God permanently removes their sins. |
| Tabernacles | Most Holy Place | Ark of the Covenant | The righteous go to live with God |
These are other Old Testament prophecies which are important to the end times.
| Prophet | Discussion | Repetition |
| # | Ezekiel | Revelation |
|---|
| 1 | Throne of God | 4-5 |
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| 2-3 | Scroll eaten | 10 |
|---|
| 4 | Siege by Babylon | 12 |
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| 5-7 | The curses sent | 6-7 |
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| 8 | First four laws broken | 13 |
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| 9 | Mark of God | 13 |
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| 12 | No more delay | 10 |
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| 13-33 | Nations warned | 14-18 |
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| 34 | Sheep Judged | 11,19 |
|---|
| 37 | Dry Bones revived | 20 |
|---|
| 38 | Armageddon | 19-20 |
|---|
| 40-48 | Temple and city and the fate of the tribes of God | 21-22 |
|---|
|
| David |
Psalm
(16, 22, 41, 69) | Messianic prophecies | Daniel 9, Isaiah |
| Psalm 73: 17 | The Plagues | Revelation 16 |
| Psalm 29 | The seven thunders | Revelation 10 |
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Ezekiel
Joel
Zechariah |
Isaiah, Ezekiel | The day of the Lord | Revelation 19-20 |
| Isaiah, Jeremiah | Fall of Babylon | Revelation 18 |
| Joel, Zechariah | Holy Spirit Comes | Acts |
| Ezekiel, Zechariah | Armageddon | Revelation 19-20 |
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Ezekiel is interesting in that it discusses issues that start from 1844 to the Second Coming, Armageddon and the city and temple of God.
Some of it is from the perspective of the righteous, while Revelation shows the same events from the perspective of the wicked.
Ezekiel starts with a vision of the throne of God and the eating of a scroll that caused bitterness.
It continues to discuss the idolatry in the sanctuary and the breaking of the first four commandments which causes the issuing of the Mark of God.
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Other New Testament Prophecies
In addition to Revelation (Apocalypse), there are other prophecies given in the New Testament that cover the end times.
| Prophet | Discussion | Repetition |
| Jesus |
Matthew 24 | The fall of Jerusalem. The signs of the end of the world | The seven seals of Revelation 4 to 6 |
| Mark 13 |
| Luke 21 |
| Paul |
2 Thessalonians 2 | The Antichrist | The Little Horn (Daniel 7 and 8), the king of the north (Daniel 11), the abomination of desolation (Daniel 11), The Beast (Revelation 12), the woman riding the beast (Revelation 18). Zechariah 5 |
| 1 Thessalonians 4 | The resurrection | Revelation 20, Daniel 12 |
| Romans 11 | Israel Returns | Zechariah 12-13 |
The Prophetic Views
There are three major prophetic views and a fourth modern view used to interpret the books of Daniel and Revelation.
The historicist view is used on this WEB site. It was also the view used by all the Protestant reformers and by Christ in Revelation 1.
His prophecy addressed the past, present and future.
Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.
(Revelation 1: 19)
| Daniel |  Historicist  | Daniel and Revelation |
| The Wild Kingdom | Passover | Pentecost |
Trumpets | Yom Kippur | Tabernacles |
| Babylon | Persia | Greece | Rome |
 |
 Rome | Papacy | Europe | 1844 | Now |
 | Persecution |  | 1000
Years | | Trial | Hell |
| 1 | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Iron |
 |
 | Judgment |  | Second Coming |  |  |
| Nebuchadnezzar's Statue | Legs of Iron | Feet of Clay |  | Rock |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Satan in Prison |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Sanctuary and People Trampled |
 Sanctuary Restored |
People Restored
(One Nation of Israel) |
| 2 | Jewish Era (˜ 2000 Years) |
|
Christian Era (˜ 2000 Years) |
3½ Years | 3½ Years | Christ and Jews reign |
|---|
| Daniel |
Gap (Futurist)
(Prophecies suspended) |
|
| |
|
|
| 1000
Years | | Trial | |
| - |
Antichrist | Millennium of Peace |
|---|
| 3 | Daniel | Revelation | No more prophecies fulfilled (Praetorist) |
| 4 | Almost all prophecies are fulfilled outside of human history (Spiritual) |
| The Cosmic Deception |
|---|
If there are cosmic forces who are trying to deceive you, then they would convince you to ignore these prophecies.
The praetorist and spiritual theories do this.
The futurist theories postpone your natural curiosity in a more subtle way.
For hundreds of years it has convinced people that there is nothing prophetic about their time.
It could delay you in the same way today.
But if you believe that the prophecies are continually unfolding, it is a signpost for you to look confidently at the past and expectantly towards the future.
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- Historicist. Prophecy outlines the span of world history as it relates to God's people all the way down to the end of time. This view is both moral and true. God is portrayed as a being who comforts and protects His people at all times. And it agrees with how God dealt with prophecy in Daniel.
Daniel 2 and 8 were also interpreted by God as a continuous struggle between the people of God and conquering empires until God rescues His people. The scope of the first prophecy in Daniel 2 clearly shows that God outlined prophecy from the time of Daniel to the Second Coming.
In this view, the church was experiencing some phase of the fulfillment of prophecy at any given point in time. This is our view. In addition, this view follows the order of the feasts.
- Futurist. Prophecy is only for the distant future. This is a false view of prophecy. It portrays a God who is disinterested with the pain and suffering of His people in history.
This view was proposed by the church to fight the reformers. A monk named Francisco Ribera (1537 - 1591) of Salamanca, Spain proposed the futurist method which asserts that these prophecies refer to a future supernatural individual, who would be in power for three and a half years.
The Gap Theory. Futurists insert a gap between Daniel and Revelation in which no prophecies were fulfilled after Christ until the Antichrist.
They believe that everything after Revelation 4 is for the future when the Antichrist appears.
This is the view of most evangelicals and their popular novels.
- Praetorist. Prophecy is for the past. Most prophecies were fulfilled by the Roman empire in the past. This a false view denies the supernatural nature of prophecy to predict the future. It is presented mostly by agnostics and atheists. These people claim that the prophecies were written after the events occurred.
This suggests that God is a liar and the Bible is deceitful because it encodes history as prophecy.
This was another view proposed by the Jesuit Luis de Alcazar (1554-1630) as a response to the reformers.
- Spiritual. Prophecy outlines cosmic conflicts in the spiritual realm. Some may be fulfilled in human history. This is a false view of prophecy because it is useless for God to give us cryptic prophecies that have nothing to do with our lives or our understanding of Him.
This view is supported by those who do not want to deal with prophecy as they denounce the "fables of the literal interpretation". This view is promoted by the news media and mainline churches.
Daniel: The Man Chosen as a Prophet
Daniel's name means "God is my judge" or "God vindicates me." Judgment is a favorable term because it means God will one day judge between good and evil and will rescue his people from captivity.
The book of Daniel is not considered a prophetic book among the Jews because Daniel did not prophesy about them and their immediate concerns. His prophecies seemed to be far into the future.
So the book was considered as one of the writings.
Technically, Daniel never saw any of his visions come through. He only saw the transition from Babylon to Persia but that was prophesied in more detail by Jeremiah.
And he was obviously using the time table from Jeremiah when he expected the imminent fall of Babylon in Daniel 10.
Daniel did not gain his fame because of the gift of prophecy but because of the gift of interpretation of dreams.
All his prophecies said about the near future was that Babylon would be defeated by the Persian empire.
But other prophecies said the same thing in more detail. So he did not contribute anything new to the understanding of the fall of Babylon.
God said that the prophecies of Daniel and his role as a great prophet would be fulfilled at the end of time.
But as for you, go your way to the end, then you shall rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.
(Daniel 12: 13)
Eunuch. No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord.
Bastard. No one of illegitimate birth shall enter the assembly of the Lord; none of his descendants even to the tenth generation, shall enter the assembly of the Lord.
(Deuteronomy 23: 1-2)
Daniel 1: 3 says that Daniel was under the care of the chief of the eunuchs who were the kings officials. (Daniel 1: 3).
It is amazing that Daniel became a major prophet because he was a eunuch who could not by law enter the assembly of God.
If he could not enter the assembly of God, surely he could not be the chosen spokesman of God.
The same law also forbids Christ from entering the assembly. His birth was illegitimate. Did God break his own law?
The prohibitions were made because the Messiah must have the following:
- A Name. The bastard has been denied a name by his father.
- An Everlasting Name. A eunuch can no longer have a family to carry his name. His name is cut off forever.
But Isaiah tells us of a better promise and a more generous law.
Anyone who is devoted to God can overcome any personal limitations that are out of his or her control.
Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, "The Lord will surely separate me from his people."
Nor let the eunuch say "Behold I am a dry tree."
For thus says the Lord, to the eunuch who keep My sabbaths and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast my covenant,
"To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, and a name better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off".
(Isaiah 56: 3-5)
By being obedient and choosing what pleases God, God Himself will legitimize us by supplying what we do not have.
So that in a strange twist of fate we find that all the righteous will be given a name through an illegitimate bastard.
You are doing the deeds of your father. They said to him "we are not born of fornication; we have one Father, God".
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not come of my own initiative, but He sent Me."
(John 8: 41-42)
Although they mocked Him by inferring to His illegitimate birth, Jesus legitimized Himself by claiming to come from the Father of all fathers.
Daniel also legitimizes himself by joining himself to God through obedience.
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the kings choice food or with the wine which he drank;
so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.
Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials.
As for these four youths God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom;
Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.
(Daniel 1: 8-9, 17)
This says that Daniel and his friends chose to honor God by keeping his covenant and God rewarded them.
Daniel was connected to the living waters of the spirit of God and he was spiritually no longer a dry tree.
So through obedience to God, He gave Christ a better name and He gave Daniel an everlasting name. They can legally enter the sanctuary and serve Him.
Daniel: The Prophecy
The theme of the book of Daniel is introduced in the first few verses. It has three vital parts.
| Historical Background |
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Chapter 1 - 6: (History).
This section is comprised of real stories of perseverance and faith that Daniel and his friends faced in captivity. They are prophetic because they provide vital lessons for God's people at the end of time. In these chapters Daniel and his three friends experience tests that are a foretaste of the kind of issues that will face God's people at the end of time.
Chapter 2, 7 - 12: (Prophecy).
These chapters are principally prophetic. They outline the rise and fall of great empires from Daniel's time all the way down to the end of human history. Each group of prophecies serves as a repetition and enlargement of the themes and history of the previous section.
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- Sanctuary. Nebuchadnezzar attacks the city and the Sanctuary.
- People. Nebuchadnezzar takes God's people into captivity.
- Pagan Corruption. Nebuchadnezzar takes the sacred vessels of God's sanctuary dedicated to the true worship of God, and he places them in a pagan temple.
The Pattern of Satanic Activity
Nebuchadnezzar's attack on God's ancient people is a pattern of the Satanic attack of the Antichrist in history and at the very end of time.
Repeatedly the Bible warns us that a power that originates as the result of apostasy in the church will
try to take the place of God in the church and corrupt and persecute the true children of God, just like Nebuchadnezzar.
This power had already begun in the days of the apostles and will operate until the end of time.
- The Antichrist.
- He takes over the sanctuary or temple of God.
- He deceives the people and leads them into lawlessness.
- He replaces God and removes the Messiah.
- The Little Horn. Daniel 8: 9-12. The little horn power does the same thing Nebuchadnezzar did.
- He attacks the Sanctuary. Verse 11. He systematically destroys or replaces all the furniture.
- He attacks God's people and Christ and removes them from the Sanctuary. Verses. 10-12.
- The truth of the sanctuary is thrown down and corruption prevails. Verse 12.
- The King of the North. Daniel 11: 31-33: The King of the North does the same thing as the little horn.
- He attacks the sanctuary. Verse 31.
- He takes God's people into captivity. Verse 33.
- He stops the service of the sanctuary and sets up his own counterfeit. Verse 31.
- Babylon the Great. In the end Babylon the Great attacks the people and tries to destroy the sanctuary of God and build his own sanctuary.
Why does God use the same symbols? The same name. The last world empire will act like this first beast and it is a critical beacon at the end of time. (Revelation 13.)
- He attacks God and the sanctuary. Verse 6.
- He takes God's people into captivity and forces them to worship a false God. Verse 14-17.
- He sets up his own counterfeit covenant and changes the commandments of God. Verse 4,6,8,14,17.
Through the example of Daniel and his friends we also learn that God will take care of His people in captivity and how courageous His people must be at the end of time.
Daniel and his friends surrendered to God, and they were blessed with wisdom and understanding of visions and dreams.
When we surrender to God He will unseal the visions of Daniel so that we can understand as He has promised.
He said, "Go your way Daniel for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end of time.
Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly;
and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand".
(Daniel 12: 9-10)
Pray First
The Statue
Lessons
