Daniel

For the Lord’s Sake

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16)

One may wonder whether James had Daniel’s prayer in mind when he wrote this. The prayer of Daniel recorded in Daniel 9:4-19 seems to exemplify what James wrote centuries later. In brief let us summarise the content of the prayer.

First, this prayer was motivated by reading Scripture, in particular, that written by the prophet Jeremiah (v 2).

Secondly, Daniel was determined to commune with the Lord with a view to understanding Jeremiah’s prophecy and it’s relevance to his present day (v 3).

Thirdly, he majors on the nature of the Lord: The Lord keeps His covenants and is faithful to His word (v 4), is merciful (v 4, 9, 18) and forgiving (v 9, 19). The Lord is righteous in Being (v 7) and therefore righteous in all His actions (v 14).

Fourthly, in contrast to the nature of the Lord, Israel had been quite the contrary. Israel had not been faithful to the covenant on Mount Sinai (v 5, 7); it had not heeded the warnings and word of God that came through the prophets (v 6) and had been disobedient to the word of the Lord that came through Moses (v 10, 11).

To sum up, Daniel affirms to the Lord that the Lord is right to judge Israel as He has for in doing so He has remained faithful to the word that came through Moses and to His Divine Nature (v 13).

Israel had nothing worthy of merit as a reason for the Lord’s favour (v 18) yet Daniel asks for it. Israel had sinned against the Lord (v 8) and there was no reason or means by which they merited any favour in themselves. If Israel was to be forgiven and restored it had to be based solely on the Lord’s nature and expression of that nature.

It isn’t surprising therefore that we find Daniel basing the hearing of his prayer (v 17) and Israel’s forgiveness (v 19) as being for the Lord’s sake, for the sake of the revelation of the Divine Nature in the world, and not for Israel’s name.

Daniel was a righteous man who least needed such a prayer for himself. He did not characterise the nature of Israel as described in his prayer. But it was this very absence that qualified him to pray such a prayer. Besides, who else would? Those who love sin will never even consider praying anything.

In this Daniel is a kind of foreshadow of the Lord Jesus Christ. The only Righteous One, the one who had no need of suffering for sin, took upon Himself our sin for His own name’s sake and most definitely not because we, even in the slightest, merited any favour.

We do well to keep in mind that God responded to the prayer of just one man, just as James later wrote He would, and gave us one of the most blessed revelations in all Scripture.

Who will be a Daniel today?

The Irresistible Approach

“Then he (the antichrist-yet to be revealed) shall confirm a covenant (treaty) with many (Israel and surrounding nations) for one week (seven years)” Daniel 9:27

After Israel’s Messiah (Christ) is killed, writes Daniel, and after an unquantified time, the prince (The head of the revised Roman Empire) will make a treaty with Israel and surrounding nations.  The signing of this treaty marks the commencement of the seventieth week of years of God’s dealing with Israel to bring them to the point of receiving their Messiah. This is the commencement of the seven-year tribulation time for Israel that leads up to Jesus Christ returning and being received by Israel at last.

As we have watched events in the Middle East over the past few decades one thing has dominated – attempts to bring peace to the region. The recent instability in the region only motivates the world’s politicians to work harder and with new impetus, endeavouring to bring peace to Israel and the surrounding nations.

All true believers will be taken out of the world in what we call “the Rapture” (lit. snatching up) before this treaty is signed and before the Antichrist is revealed. With the world’s leaders working hard at bringing peace in the Middle East the day of our departure may not be that far off.

Attempts by anyone to state a date for the ‘rapture’ or Jesus’ return are futile as Jesus told His disciples that no man knows the day or hour (Matthew 24:36). Any attempt to make a date shows contempt for Jesus and His word.

Over the years several have given dates for either the ‘rapture’ or Christ’s return and they have all lost credibility. When they claim, as the most recent attempt did, that the Bible reveals the date they also give the world cause to discredit the Bible.

Since the exact number of days of the tribulation is given it will be possible for Bible believers in the tribulation to know the exact day of Christ’s return but for us we live every day in expectation but never disappointment.

The Bible does not give us the day but it does reveal what the condition of the world will be during the tribulation. We may not know the day but like the farmer we can see the new season irresistibly approaching.

This should encourage us all the more to be faithful in sharing the Gospel with the unsaved, especially loved ones.

Lasting Peace

“When they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them” (1 Thessalonians 5:3)

The “they” and “them” in this verse is Israel but it also has application to the unbelieving world. The apostle Paul is writing concerning “The Day of the Lord.” It is a day that will most certainly come. It is the time culminating in Jesus returning in all His glory. Paul looked forward to this day with great anticipation and joy.

Who of us can remember an American president who did not try to bring peace in the Middle East? Ever since Israel declared nationhood in 1948 there has been no lasting peace. At best there has been a cessation of hostilities for brief periods. The current attempts to bring peace in the Middle East will not bring lasting peace. We who are “sons of light and sons of day” (v 5) know that there will come a day when peace will be declared between Israel and the surrounding nations. However, it will not last.

Daniel prophecies, “Then he [the Antichrist] shall confirm a covenant with many for one week [of years; i.e. 7 years]; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering” (Daniel 9:27). In Revelation six John records Jesus’ prophecies concerning this same period. In verse two the Antichrist conquers by the threat of war (bow, no arrows) but later (verse 4) he conquers with violence.

Will the current talks bring peace to Israel? At best we can expect a reduction or lull in hostilities. Will these talks lead to the commencement of “the Day of the Lord?” Only hindsight will reveal that.

The Bible says that Israel will have a peace declared by world leaders but that it will be broken after a short while. Only when the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, appears will there be lasting peace in Israel and the world. We do not look for presidents to bring peace on earth because they are unable to change the hearts of men. Only Jesus can bring peace to a person’s heart and only then to nations.

There is a time coming, perhaps very soon, when in the false belief that it is safe and secure Israel will neglect its defences and then sudden destruction will come. But it will not be complete because Jesus Christ will not permit that. He will come again.