Tues.’s Devo - Daniel’s Vision Explained

Read: Daniel 11:2-35; 1 John 3:7-24; Psalm 122:1-9; Proverbs 29:1 The angel began explaining to Daniel what his vision meant. He went into great detail to describe the four kingdoms he saw. *** Persia ruled at the time and four more Persian kings would come to power: Ahaserus, Artaxerxes, Darius, and Esther’s Xerxes. Then a ruler from Greece (Alexander the Great) rose up and invade Persia and became the next great power. *** The northern kingdoms of Syria and the southern kingdoms of Egypt had years of fighting. Their last rulers, Ptolemy of Egypt and Antiochus of Syria met for the last time, but not before Antiochus went through Jerusalem and entered into the Holy of Holies. *** Amazingly, many Jews joined with Antiochus against Ptolemy and provided him provisions when he came back through Jerusalem to get rid of the Egyptian garrison in Jerusalem. Their hope was to make Judah independent, but it didn’t work. *** Antiochus came up with a plan to conquer Egypt by giving Ptolemy his daughter, Cleopatra hoping that through her, he would gain Egypt. It didn’t work as Cleopatra sided with her husband against her father. Antiochus was finally killed in battle and was succeeded by his son, Seleucus Philopater. *** Meanwhile, Simon a Benjamite who had a vendetta against the high priest, gave information of the treasures in the Jewish temple. Seleucus sent Heliodorus to Jerusalem to plunder the temple. Seleucus' only son and heir, Demetrius, poisoned Seleucus to gain the throne. But Antiochus Epiphanes, Seleucus' brother, by the help of Eumenes, king of Pergamos, succeeded him to the throne in 175 B.C. *** Antiochus was nicknamed Epiphanies, which sounds like the word “Epimanes” which means"the madman," for his insane actions which were beneath the dignity of a king. He would carouse with the lowest of the people, bathe with them in the public baths, and foolishly jest and throw stones at passerbys. Also for his crafty supplanting of Demetrius, the rightful heir, from the throne, he was termed “vile." He had gotten the kingdom by flattering people of importance to help him. *** Antiochus Epiphanes invaded Egypt with overwhelming forces and took it in 171 B.C. He gained everything except Alexandria, which successfully resisted him. He retired to Judea, where, in revenge for the joy shown by the Jews at the report of his death, which led them to a revolt, he subdued Jerusalem. *** Antiochus invaded Egypt three times (Da 11:29). In his first invasion of Egypt, he entered Egypt with an overwhelming multitude, with chariots, elephants, and cavalry" (1 Maccabees 1:17). Antiochus left Ptolemy Philometer at Memphis as king. On his way back to Syria, he attacked Jerusalem, slew eighty thousand, took forty thousand prisoners, and sold forty thousand as slaves (2 Maccabees 5:5-14). Led by Menelaus, the high priest, he entered the sanctuary with blasphemies, took away the gold and silver vessels, sacrificed swine on the altar, and sprinkled broth of the flesh through the temple (2 Maccabees 5:15-21). *** On his second open invasion of Egypt. Ptolemy hired mercenaries from Greece. Antiochus advanced with a fleet and an army, demanding him to stop and he retired to Egypt and withdrew his fleets from Cyprus. *** On his third invasion, Ptolemy sent Grecian vessels to Cyprus. He was humbled and discouraged through the fear of Rome and the fact that God's worship had been restored at Jerusalem. He turns his wrath on the Jews. Many of the Jews had forsook their religion for Greek philosophy. Antiochus, on his way home, sent Apollonius (167 B.C.) with twenty-two thousand to destroy Jerusalem, two years after its capture by himself. Apollonius slew multitudes, dismantled and pillaged the city. They built a fortress and from it they fell on and slew the worshippers; so that the temple service was discontinued. Also, Antiochus decreed that all, on threat of death, should conform to the Greek religion, and the temple was consecrated to Jupiter Olympius. Identifying himself with that god, and he wished to make his own worship universal (1 Maccabees 1:41; 2 Maccabees 6:7). *** This was the the greatest threat to their worship they had ever faced. This was why the angel was giving them a warning it would happen. It was to comfort the faithful of a Messiah who would come and confirm their covenant with God. *** The third beast was the Romans, who conquered Macedon when Antiochus left Egypt. Rome whose standard was the eagle, the bird of Jupiter, was sacrificed to by Titus' soldiers within the sacred precincts, at the destruction of Jerusalem. The Roman emperor, Adrian erected a temple to Jupiter Capitolinus where the temple of God had stood, A.D. 132. *** Much persecution of the righteous happened then and through it God’s people were be purified, cleansed until the time of the end. *** John gives us a test to tell who are God’s children and whose are the devil’s. Those who do what is right are God’s children and those who keep on sinning are the devil’s. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. God’s children do not make a practice of sinning and they love one another. *** Cain was an example of the devil’s child who killed his own brother. Satan’s children kill and do not love one another, but God’s children love and help one another. *** Lord, may our love be obvious to others and give you glory.