All right, turn back to Daniel
chapter 11. And this is the third message
I've been preaching through this chapter. It's a long chapter,
45 verses, as I said last time, as you've read, concerning this
subject of rising above it all in Christ. Because I'm convinced
that in this prophecy that God gave Daniel for his generation
and for the generations in between in our generation. That the lesson
is, as we read in Jeremiah 17, not to trust in ourselves, not
to trust in man, not to make the flesh our arm or our power. Don't trust in the flesh, but
trust in Christ. And as we see the history unfold,
history of man and our present day affairs, everything that's
going on here, as you know, this chapter 11 is a revelation, it's
a vision of the earthly kings and nations that are struggling
and Israel's in between these struggles and sometimes they're
under the northern king, which is Syria, sometimes they're under
the southern kingdom, which is Egypt, and all of that. and God
bringing His judgment down upon His people. And what He's showing
us is that Christ is in control of the history of all nations.
God is the God of providence. He hasn't just wound this world
up like a clock and let it go. And where, you know, round and
round and round she goes, and where she stops, nobody knows.
No, God knows the end from the beginning, the scripture says.
It's all to the praise of the glory of His grace. In other
words, everything in this is about Christ. When you talk about
something being to the praise of the glory of God's grace,
that's what you're talking about, the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. Daniel had seen a vision of 490
years that would take place, God in His providence would work
His sovereign will. beginning with the restoration
of Judah and Jerusalem, the temple and all of that, all the way
up to the coming of the Messiah and even to the coming of the
end of the nation Israel, which would take place in AD 70. And
what you have in chapter 11 is a revelation of the events that
took place in history between the two testaments, between Malachi
and Matthew. This is the revelation, this
is the vision of it. And these kings, this vision
ends with two of the most infamous, evil, wicked kings that ever
came up against Israel. We've been studying about one
from the last message, but we've studied him before. His name
was Antiochus Epiphanes, or his name was Antiochus, he called
himself Epiphanes, which means God manifests. That's the way
he saw himself. This was a king of the northern
kingdom of Syria, named Antiochus, who imagined himself to be like
God, to be a god. That's how he thought. And he
was so intensely antagonistic towards God's people in Israel,
in Judah, in Jerusalem. He hated them. He outlawed the
Jewish religion. He outlawed the Old Covenant.
You know that, and you know when he talks about the Holy Covenant,
look at verse 30. This is where Antiochus, you
remember he was going down on a second campaign to make war
with Egypt. He'd made one campaign against
Egypt, and he had won, and he spread the wealth through the
land to his friends. Whoever supported him, he made
them rich, and whoever didn't, he killed them or just banished
them or made them poor. And he was on his way down to
a second campaign against Egypt, and he got stopped by what's
called here the ships of Chittim, And that ships from the western
coast, and just about every commentator will tell you, and I agree with,
and what he's talking about here is the Roman Empire. The Roman
Empire was coming into play here. And he says, they come against
him, therefore he shall be grieved. He was grieved in his heart over
this. And he returned and have indignation
against the Holy Covenant. You know what that Holy Covenant
represents, don't you? That's the gospel. And when you
think of the Holy Covenant, the Old Covenant, you think about
Moses and Mount Sinai, the Ten Commandments, but don't, listen,
don't limit yourself there. Take it all the way to the ceremonial
law, the priesthood, the tabernacle, every bit of that covenant. What
did the Lord say in John chapter 5 when he was teaching the Pharisees
about the writings of Moses? Remember what he said? He said,
verse 39 of John 5, you search the scriptures, in them you think
you have eternal life, they are they which testify of me. And
then he recognized their claim, their refuge, their refuge is,
well, we keep the law of Moses. And he told them, he said, I
won't judge you, you'll have one who'll judge you, Moses,
whom you trust will judge you. They didn't trust Moses personally,
they trusted their works under the law. And then he told him,
he said, had you believed Moses, you'd have believed me, for Moses
wrote of me. You remember that? When Moses
sat down and penned these things in Exodus and, well, in all of
it, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, he had
in his mind and heart the promise of God to save sinners by his
sovereign grace through the coming Messiah. who is called Michael
the Prince, who is called the Prince back here in Daniel chapter
9, the Lord Jesus Christ. And what God is assuring Daniel
here is no matter what these evil, idolatrous kings do, even
one as evil and wicked as Antiochus, This one who had indignation,
verse 30, against the holy covenant. That's the same as a person who
has indignation, hatred for Christ and for the gospel. That's what
that is. For the things of God, the glory of God, the word of
God. This is the kind of king. What
does he represent? He represents the depravity and
sin of all of us by nature. Isn't that right? Think about
Saul of Tarsus. Now, he wasn't a king. But he
had indignation against the Holy Covenant, too, all the time while
he, as a lost sinner, thought he was keeping the covenant.
In actuality, he hated it, because he hated the gospel of God's
free grace in Christ. He hated the idea. Paul really
hated the idea of righteousness through a substitute. You know,
that's what he really hated. Read the book of Romans, because
that's what he really emphasizes in the book of Romans. When God
saved him, he recognized he had no righteousness but Christ.
No justification before God but the imputed righteousness of
Christ. He hated, before God saved him, he hated that idea,
that truth of righteousness through a substitute. Antiochus did too. He had indignation. So verse
30 says, so shall he do. He shall even return and have
intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. That's the
traitors of the Jews. That's like John described in
1 John chapter 2. They went out from us, but they
were not of us. For had they been of us, they
would no doubt have remained with us. But they went out that
it might be made manifest that they were not of us. That's what's
happening here. He had some who claimed to be
Jews and claimed to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
but they turned on their own people because they feared Antiochus. They didn't fear God. They didn't set their affection
on things above, where Christ sitteth, the right hand of the
Father. They trusted the arm of the flesh. What did Jeremiah say? And Jeremiah
said, Cursed be the man who trusteth in man. They trusted in Antioch,
they didn't trust in God. And so it says in verse 31, "...and
arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary
of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice." and they
shall place the abomination that maketh desolate." Now I didn't,
we'd studied this back in Daniel chapter 8, you remember, I believe
it was chapter 8, that's where Antiochus was that little horn
that came out of Greece and that's where he came from because he
was one, he was of that dynasty that Alexander's empire was divided
up, he was in the north and he was of that segment. And that
little horn represents the spirit of Antichrist. Now, that's what
Antiochus represents. He's the embodiment of Antichrist,
that spirit of Antichrist that stands in opposition to Christ,
who he is and what he did. And I talked about this back
there, but I didn't mention in the last message. What happened
here? You remember what happened when he got back to Jerusalem
after he had failed on this campaign to conquer Egypt the second time
and plunder them. He got back to Jerusalem and
he was so angry at the people because they were in celebration.
They'd heard that he'd been defeated. And what he did is he outlawed
the Jewish religion, he went against the Jewish people, he
went against this holy covenant, he made an end of the daily sacrifices
which are representative of the continual intercessory work of
Christ. You see, Christ only had to die
one time. But the effects and the power
and the blessings that come from that one sacrifice are daily.
They're forever and ever and ever. And what he did is he set
up a statue of the Greek god Zeus in the temple, in the temple,
and he had a pig slaughtered and he spread the broth and the
blood of that pig over the temple. And that's the abomination of
desolation. that Daniel spoke of, which was
a prefiguring of another abomination of desolation, and that was the
temple being destroyed in AD 70. That's what Christ talked
about. You remember in Mark 13 and Matthew
24, he told his disciples. Remember when they walked out
and one of them was so impressed with all that temple and all
those buildings, and they said, see how beautiful these things
are? And he told them, he said, listen, as beautiful as these
things are, they're coming down. just as Daniel spoke of an abomination
of desolation. I'll tell you what, let me tell
you something about an abomination of desolation. And in order to
understand the scriptures and the reality of the last days
that we live in, I believe you have to understand this. You
know every time a preacher gets up in a pulpit and in the name
of Christ preaches salvation by works, that's just another
manifestation of an abomination of desolation. That's how bad
it is. Anytime a preacher under the
name of Christ and claims to be preaching it from the Bible
and preaches salvation by works instead of the sovereign grace
of God, that's just another manifestation of an abomination of desolation.
That's right. And he says here, he says that
in verse 32 and 33, the only ones who are gonna survive this
are the people, people who know their God. Verse 32, and such
as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries.
In other words, Antiochus was gonna corrupt them by flattering
them. That's a common tool of false religion, you know that,
I dealt with that. But the people that do know their God shall
be strong and do exploits. Warriors for God in Christ. Those
who have seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
That's who he's talking about. That's the picture. There is
a really physical, historical fulfillment of this in a group
of Jews under the family called the Maccabees. Now you may not
have read about them, you may have, I don't know. Some of you
have heard of them. But they came against Antiochus
Epiphanes and they defeated him. And they cleansed the temple,
and it says in verse 34, it says, it says, yet they shall fall
by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil many days.
In other words, many of them were killed. Spiritually speaking,
the illustration here shows itself up in the martyrs who've died
for Christ, died in the cause of Christ. The book of Revelation
speaks of those martyrs. We'll see them just a minute
verse 34 now when they shall fall they shall be hoping or
helped With a little help, but many shall cleave to them with
flatteries in other words this this family the Maccabees They
didn't have a big army But they had enough And I believe this
was God's vengeance and judgment upon Antiochus. But some of them,
they clung to Antiochus because of the flatteries. All this physical
historical stuff is a spiritual illustration of what's going
on in the church in the last days. People falling away because
of flatteries. They find preachers who tell
them what they want to hear. They have itching ears. You remember
Paul talked about that. And they leave the gospel and
they side with a false gospel and a false Christ against the
true Christ. Verse 35, he says, some of them
of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and to
make them white. What that's talking about, it
reveals their standing and state before God in Christ even to
the time of the end because it is yet for a time appointed.
Anytime you see those dressed in white, what does that teach
us from scripture? What is that talking about? Well,
look over at Revelation chapter 7 with me. Here he's talking
about the judgment of God in Revelation 7. And this is just
another example of interpreting Scripture with Scripture. Here he's talking about how the
people of God are in some ways protected, or
in all ways really, protected from the wrath of God. You see,
our bodies can be harmed, we know that. We can die, we can
even be murdered or martyred for the faith. We're gonna get
old and die, the Lord lets us live long enough. That's not
the protection he's talking about. He's talking about being protected
from the wrath of God. Now we're protected from the
wrath of God because of what? Because of the cross. We won't
suffer the judgment of God's wrath because Christ suffered
that judgment for us on the cross. He died for my sins. He was made sin. He was made
a curse for me. The judgment, listen, the chastisement
of our peace, Isaiah 53. What is that chastisement of
our peace? You remember he says that in Isaiah 53? That's the
punishment that it took to bring about peace. Well, the punishment
that it took to bring about peace between God and this old sinner
was the punishment that Christ took on the cross. And whenever
the Holy Spirit comes, and under the power of the Spirit, the
gospel is preached to us, and we're born again, and we're brought
to see the glory of God in Christ, and given faith to believe, and
rest in Him, and turn from our dead works, that's what the Bible
calls being sealed in our foreheads in verse 3 of Revelation 7. And
then we begin to worship God. We never did before. We tried,
maybe. But we did it in ignorance. Remember
what he said back here in Daniel 11? It's the people that do know
their God who shall overcome. You don't know God until you
know Christ. He's the fullness of the Godhead bodily. So he
speaks, they're sealed in their foreheads. That's their mind.
All right? And they all gather around and
they worship God. And look at verse 13. of Revelation
7. It says, And one of the elders
answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in
white robes? It's like in Daniel chapter 11.
And whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou
knowest. In other words, he wasn't asking this question for information.
He was asking it to make a point. He said, And he said to me, These
are they which came out of great tribulation. That's what Daniel's
talking about back here now. Even with that earthly fulfillment
of this now, there's a spiritual application. They come out of
great trouble. Remember Christ told his disciples,
in the world you'll have trouble? He says, and have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Anytime
the Bible talks about a person standing before God, accepted,
wearing a robe of white, that's exactly what he's talking about.
The imputed righteousness of Christ. He's not talking about
our exploits. They'll do exploits. Remember
back there he said that in verse 32? They'll do exploits. There's
going to be works now. That's the fruit and effect,
the result of God's grace and power. But their exploits are
not their righteousness. What is my righteousness before
God? The blood of Christ washed white
in the blood of the Lamb. clothed in his righteousness.
Look back at Daniel 11 now. He says in verse 36, now, this
part here, if you read any commentaries on this thing, on this passage,
most modern-day commentaries especially and some of the Reformers
will say that there's a time jump here between verses 35 and
36. where it says in verse 36, and
the king shall do according to his will. Now, that's not talking
about Antiochus. He's already been defeated and
moved out of the way. So this is another king, and
they say there's a time jump, and this leaps all the way over
to the time that Paul talked about in 2 Thessalonians chapter
two, about the man of sin being revealed, and then they say this
is the Antichrist. Well, first of all, the problem
with that is there's nothing within the text itself that even
indicates or intimates a time jump like that. Nothing. The
only way that you can find a time jump there is if you put it there
because of something you've already been taught. This is a continuation. Now, having said that, let me
say this. that everything we've read about these evil kings and
these evil empires. You talk about Nebuchadnezzar
and you can talk about Darius and Babylon and the Medo-Persian
empire, Cyrus, all of them, Antiochus, and this one that I'm gonna,
I believe I know who this is talking about. You may disagree,
but that's up to you. But I'll guarantee you he fits
the bill here. Every one of these evil kings
are the embodiment of the spirit of Antichrist, every one of them. Because look at him. Why was
Antiochus Epiphanes pointed out here? Because he came against
the Holy Covenant. He's representative, the embodiment
of that spirit that is opposed to Christ and salvation by the
grace of God in him. Anything that comes in the name
of God that is opposed to Christ is anti-Christ. So who's he talking
about here? Well, like I said, a lot of debate
over it. Some say it is talking about
Antiochus. I don't believe it is because he's gone by now in
history. But I'll tell you who I believe
he's talking about. I believe he's talking about Herod the
Great, King Herod, because he would fall right in line up until
the time of the coming of Messiah. Who was king when our Savior
came to this world? Herod the Great. Did he represent
the spirit of Antichrist? Well, what did he try to do?
Huh? He tried to kill Messiah. Didn't he? He's the one who issued
the decree that all the firstborn, all the male children in Israel,
two years and younger, were to be killed because he knew within
that two-year period after those wise men came to him that one
of those was was claiming, or people were claiming him to be
Messiah. Some say that Herod himself thought he was the Messiah.
You remember there were a group in the New Testament that our
Lord had to deal with called the Herodians? You remember them?
Remember when they were asking him questions, trying to trap
him, the Herodians were there? They were followers of Herod,
or that dynasty of Herod. There were about three or four
kings that were related to Herod that come down through the line
there. And that Herodian dynasty lasted up until the time of A.D. 70 when the temple was destroyed. Herod and his dynasty, they were
puppets of Rome. That's what they were. That's
why they prospered. But let's just look at it. Verse 36, and
the king shall do according to his will. He was a usurper of
the throne of David. He's not of the tribe of Judah. He's not the rightful king. Nothing
will stop him from doing what he wanted to do because God is
allowing him to do what he wanted to do. And he says, look here,
look how this starts out. Listen to this verse. This will
impress you, I believe. Not what I'm saying, but what
this verse says. He says, "...and the king shall do according to
his will, and he shall exalt himself," Herod did that, "...magnify
himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things
against the god of gods," he assumed himself to be in some
form deity, "...he shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished."
That's the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple.
Now Herod himself, Herod the Great, didn't live up that long,
but the Herod dynasty did. But look at the next line. For
that which is determined shall be done. He's going to do what
he wants to do. But that which is determined
is going to be done. Who determined it? God did. Now
does that boggle your mind or what? It does mine. But let me show you something.
Look at Acts chapter 4. Turn to Acts chapter 4. And listen to what is preached
here. Peter and John. Peter, I believe,
doing the preaching here in Jerusalem. And he says in verse 26 of Acts
chapter 4, The kings of the earth stood up. And the rulers were gathered
together against the Lord and against His Christ. That's anti-Christ. Verse 27, For of a truth against
thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and
Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were
gathered together to do whatever they wanted to do. Which was
what? Murder the Lord of glory. But
look at what verse 28 says. For to do whatsoever thy hand
and thy counsel determined before to be done. Herod did exactly what he wanted
to do. My friend God in his sovereign
power was working all things after the counsel of his own
will and power all along. That's amazing. Look at verse
37 of Daniel 11. He says, and like I say, it's
all by divine decree. And when it says the king will
do according to his will, it means self-will without restraint,
no regard for God's glory, no regard for the truth, and no
regard for the people of God. This is man's will. Listen, let
me tell you something. That's a good description of
all of us if God were to let us do what we will. That's right. That's total depravity. exalting
himself. He sought to kill all the firstborn
males of Israel, seeking to destroy the Messiah because he didn't
want the Messiah to be anybody but himself. Look at verse 37, neither shall
he regard the God of his fathers. Now here it was, that's what
they call an Edomian, that come from the Edomites. The Edomites
were descendants of Esau. But he identified himself with
the Jews. As I said, the Herodians thought he was the Messiah. Did
you know that Israel, as a nation, prospered economically under
Herod? They did. That's why they could
start rebuilding the temple again. You might read it in history
sometimes, the temple that the Lord, when he went in and cashed
out the money, that temple is sometimes called the Temple of
Herod, because Herod commissioned its building. And they were prospering. He says, "...neither shall he
regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women." Now,
believe it or not, some commentators say that that meant that Herod
was a homosexual. I don't believe he was. That's
certainly wicked. No doubt about it. But I believe
that desire of women is a direct reference to the Messiah. You
remember back in Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15? The Messiah was prophesied there
to be the seed of woman. And do you remember when Eve
had Cain, what she said? Remember there in Genesis chapter
4, you can start reading at verse 1, she said, I've gotten the
man from the Lord. She thought Messiah had been
born. She was desirous. It was her desire that Messiah
be born. She didn't know any better. She didn't know that
the Messiah wouldn't come for four or five thousand years.
She said, I've gotten the man from the Lord. She thought he
was the Messiah. Paul wrote about women being
saved in childbirth in 1 Timothy chapter 2, verses 14 and 15. He didn't mean that every woman
that has a baby is going to be saved. What was he talking about? He's talking about the birth
of the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. But turn to Matthew chapter
2. Here's how Herod had no regard
for the desire of women. It does have to do with childbirth.
But let me show you something. Look at Matthew chapter 2. And you know this is after the
wise men came and talked to Herod and then he sent them out to
find the Christ child. And look at Matthew chapter 2,
look at verse 16. It says, then Herod, when he
saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth
or angry. In other words, they found the
Christ child, but they didn't return to Herod and expose him.
That's what it meant, mocking. and sent forth, and slew all
the children that were in Bethlehem, and in the coast thereof, from
two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently
inquired of the wise man. And then was fulfilled that which
was spoken by Jeremy," that's Jeremiah the prophet saying,
this is from Jeremiah chapter 40, he says, "'In Ramah was there
a voice heard, lamentation and weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted because
they are not.'" Now Herod had all those children
killed. But why? What was he after? He
was after one child. He was after the Messiah. Spirit
of Antichrist. Go back to Daniel 11 now. So
he had no regard for the Messiah. He wasn't a king who led the
people to believe in and trust and anticipate the Messiah's
coming. to put away sins and to establish
righteousness. And it says in verse 37, it says,
he had neither nor the desire of women nor regard any God for
he shall magnify himself above all. Verse 38, look at this.
It says, but in his estate shall he honor the God of forces. That's physical power. That's
physical riches. That's physical numbers. That's
what he's talking about. In other words, his faith was
not in the word of God, in the promise of God, not in Christ.
His faith was in military power. Even in the rebuilding of the
temple, you know what he did to the temple? He turned it into
a stronghold for Caesar. That's what he did with the temple.
He's like false religion. How do they validate what they
preach? You know, I've heard men say this. Listen, listen.
They say, well, I can't preach what you preach because it would
empty out my church. That's what Herod did to the
temple. He had to placate the Romans, the pagans, the unbelievers,
to keep them, to keep his power, to keep his strength, you see.
That's the kind of spirit you have here. And he says here,
it says in verse 38, it says, In his state he shall honor the
God of forces, and a God whom his fathers knew not shall he
honor with gold and silver and with precious stones and pleasant
things. Talking about the Romans. Verse 39, Thus shall he do in
the most strongholds with a strange God, whom he shall acknowledge
and increase with glory. All of that talking about Caesar.
Remember, you had to say Caesar was God. In order for Herod to
get as far as he did, he had to say Caesar is God. He shall
cause them to rule over many and shall divide the land for
gain. All that took place. Verse 40,
and at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at
him. That's Egypt again. And they did come. You all remember
the stories of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Cleopatra and
all that bunch. That's what was going on. You
see, the Herods had to go with one or the other. They had to
make a bet. Side with the one they thought
was going to win. And Herod at first, he sided with the wrong
one, but then he jumped over real quick. That's the way they
do it. That's politics. This is what all was happening
here. And he says, and the king of the north shall come against
him like a whirlwind. Again, that's the armies of Rome
who had already taken care of Syria. Augustus Caesar, you remember
Augustus, he was the one who was Caesar when Christ came into
the world, he put a tax on the world. He came like a whirlwind
with chariots, with horsemen, with many ships, and he shall
enter into the countries and shall overflow and pass over.
Look at verse 41. He shall enter also into the
glorious land. That's Israel. That's what it's
all about. God's judgment upon Israel, but
through the judgment that God brought upon Israel, what came
out of that? The salvation of spiritual Israel
through the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. come into the glorious
land, and many countries shall be overthrown, but these shall
escape out of his hand, even Edom, Moab, and the chief of
the children of Ammon." That's interesting. Those are Arab countries
that survived. They weren't conquered by Rome.
Well, what's significant about that? Did you notice who they
are? Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Ammonites. Remember the Ammonites attacking
Israel in the wilderness? All of that, they were infamous
enemies of Israel. In other words, the enemies...
See, this is the kind of attitude. People look at an enemy and say,
they ought to get what they deserve. Well, these folks right here,
they're going to get what they deserve, but they didn't get
it yet. And Israel's being destroyed. Think about that. Remember what
the Lord said in Luke 13, except you repent, you shall likewise
perish. Don't go around here talking
about everybody getting what they deserve. Because, oh Lord,
if thou shouldest mark iniquities, who would stand? If I didn't
have the blood and righteousness of Christ, what would I deserve? What would you deserve? See what
I'm saying? Verse 42, he shall stretch forth
his hand also upon the countries and the land of Egypt shall not
escape. You remember Caesar conquered Egypt. Verse 43, but he shall
have power over the treasures of gold and silver, over all
the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Ethiopians
shall be at his steps, all of these countries. You see, this
is a... This is Rome adding to its riches
by plundering all these, and the point he's making here is
that Herod's right in with him there, supporting this idol. Verse 44, he says, but tidings
out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him. What
do you suppose he's talking about there? Who brought tidings out
of the east to Herod? Three wise men, let me just read
it to you, you don't have to turn there. Remember it says
in verse one of Matthew chapter two, now when Jesus was born
in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold,
there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, where
is he that is born king of the Jews? For we've seen his star
in the east and are come to worship him. And when Herod the king
had heard these things, he was troubled. and all Jerusalem with
him. And when he gathered all the
chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded
of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him,
In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet.
They knew some of the scripture. You see, that's the way Satan
is. That's the way Antichrist is. He can quote some scripture
now. And it says, and thou Bethlehem
in the land of Judah are not the least among the princes of
Judah for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my
people Israel and then Herod when he had privily called the
wise men inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared and
you know the rest of the story see back here in verse 44 tidings
out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him And therefore
he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to
make away many, that is to put them away, to murder them. Those
male children seeking one. In verse 45, and he shall plant
the tabernacles of his palace between the seas and the glorious
holy mountain, yet he shall come to his end and none shall help
him. Remember back there in verse
34, those who know their God, They'll be helped. Here it has
no help. My friend, we have no help without
Christ. And remember I told you that
the kind of help that he's talking about there is not God helps
those who help themselves. That's not the kind of help you
need. That's not the kind of help I need. The kind of help
I need is one who can help the helpless. Like Daniel, I retain
no strength, no goodness, no power, I'm a sinner. I have no
hope but the sovereign mercy and grace of God in Christ who
reaches down and lifts the beggar off the dung heap. Now I'm not
going to preach on the first three or four verses of chapter
12 tonight, but I want to read them in conclusion. I just want
to read them and that'll be our conclusion. Because they should
be read with this section. This is still part of the vision,
but here's what he's saying. All these evil Antichrist kings
and nations, they're going to be put down, destroyed. They're
not going to stop Messiah from coming and doing His great work.
Even on the cross, they thought they'd stop Him, but they were
working the sovereign will of God. Isn't that right? And He
went to the cross and died. Well, here's the King of Kings.
Let's just read it and I'll preach on it next time. Verse 1 of chapter
12, and at that time, shall Michael stand up, the great prince withstandeth
for the children of thy people, he's our substitute, he's our
redeemer, he's the Lord our righteousness. And there shall be a time of
trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that
same time. And at that time thy people shall
be delivered and everyone that shall be found written in the
book, what book? The Lamb's Book of Life, friend.
worthy as the lamb that was slain. And many of them that sleep in
the dusty earth shall wake, some to everlasting life and some
to shame and everlasting contempt. You see, this is the issue of
judgment right here, the person and work of Christ. And they
that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament.
What does the Bible tell us about the wise? They build their house
upon the rock, Christ Jesus. And they that turn many to righteousness
as the stars forever and ever. How do you turn to righteousness?
You turn to Christ. He is our righteousness. And
then he tells Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book even
to the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro and
knowledge shall be increased. More things will be revealed
is what he's saying. Okay.