Daniel - Chapters 10-12

The Amazing Bible. Book Club

Daniel received his last known vision during the third year of the reign of Cyrus King of Persia. He mourned for three weeks and fasted from mean and wine during that time. Daniel was by the Tigris River when he had his encounter, and the heavenly beings came to him because Daniel had set his mind to gain understanding, he had humbled himself before the Lord, and because he was highly esteemed. The vision had to do with what will happened to his people in the future. Many believe the vision had to do with Greece and Alexander the Great, then the Syrian rulers to the north of Judah and the Egyptian rulers to their south. Then the timeline moved to the era of Antiochus Epiphanes who desecrated the temple of the Lord which brought about the revolt of the Jewish Maccabees. There is talk of everlasting life and everlasting contempt, which means the prophecy goes into our future as well. Daniel did not understand it all, but the Lord revealed what he needed to know. The last verse of the book says, "Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand." A few truths that we can see in this prophecy is the Lord knows what is going on, and there are spiritual forces going on in the midst of the earthly events. Difficult times happen even to the faithful, but there is a purpose for the pain, and the Lord will be with us. There is a specified time for these events. If we don't understand it is okay to ask the Lord for understanding, and the people of faith, who believe in the God of Daniel, one day will arise and receive their allotted inheritance.