Daniel chapter 10 commentary and notes for Bible study

While a commentary on Daniel chapter 10 may seem uneventful, it was a part of my preparation for Bible study with the men. You see I am just like most of you, a guy who has wanted to understand what I read and its relationship to what is going on around me. I guess that makes me an eschatology person. The guys I sit with call me the expert; I am hardly an expert and I had a religious life filled with presuppositions. Church, while being the place where much of the mental abuse came from, did give me a deep understanding that God loved me; that love trailed me like a hound as I rebounded from hurt to hurt and struggled to free myself from co-dependency - I didn't even understand what that was until a few years ago. As many of you know I put myself in a recovery group called Celebrate Recovery which uses many of the same principles as AA. I did this because my wife wanted me to get help for my rage, and I wanted help as well. For a short period, I worked the information table. There I noticed the paperwork for men's co-dependency and read it; it was pathetic and lacking. You get the impression that men are not allowed to either have or admit that they are co-dependent. The women's brochure, however, had about 30 lines of descriptives. I found myself in about 29 of those descriptions.

Now, several years later, with time spent going through the steps multiple times, and even leading several groups, I am much better than I was. I can apply that same understanding to God's word and its application to my life and the world around me. Having gone through the Bible several times and gaining help from others, such as Joel Richardson, the author of the Islamic Antichrist. I now have a firm grasp on the nature and character of Christ, and, the apocryphal books of the Bible are not only something I can grasp but exciting, as we are living in those times now.

This last sentence is what I try to convey to those who will listen. God, is a God of mercy; if that were not the case we would all be dead now. He loves you and desires a restored relationship with you. If He is a jealous God, it is because we have given our love to the things of this world. Jesus is the Messiah.

Daniel Chapter 10

Daniel 10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision.

chronology. The third year of Cyrus's rule in Babylon was 537/536. This is very close to the time when the first wave of Jews are returning from captivity and beginning the rebuilding of the temple (recorded in the first chapter of Ezra). Dan_10:4 indicates that the vision took place on the twenty-fourth day of the first month (Nisan). This would be in early April. The celebration of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (14-21 Nisan) IVPBBC

The importance of this is that Daniel is a devout Jew, and little would stop him from participating in the Passover.

Daniel chapter nine opened with, in the first year of Darius.” So this is not a chronological recounting of Daniel's dreams, visions, and encounters.

Cyrus killed Belshazzar, quite possibly a son of Nebuchadnezzar (This is the kind statement you make when you have not done your homework. Shortly after this, I did an in-depth study into Daniel chapter 11, where I was compelled to pay attention to background details. It is found in Scripture where God calls Nebuchadnezzar father, but further exploration informs you that it was a sign of respect to call male relatives/elders father.) The implications of the word father are that Belshazzar was related to Nebuchadnezzar. None-the-less, Belshazzar is now dead.

Daniel 5:1. Belshazzar was the son and coregent of Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon. Nabonidus spent ten years in Teima while his son was carrying out all the royal duties in Babylon. A number of documents have been found that mention him by name. About thirty years have passed since the last chapter. Nebuchadnezzar died in 562, and the banquet of this chapter takes place in October 539. IVPBBC

• “a message was revealed to Daniel”
  Message - It signified spoken words or speech (Gen_11:1; Isa_36:5; Jer_51:64

• “ the message was true and one of great conflict”
  The word true is the word 'emeth - stabile; figuratively certain, truth, trustworthy.
  Conflict is the Hebrew word tsâbâ' and conveys the idea of a mass of persons organized for war.

• “but he understood the message”
  Understood is the Hebrew word bı̂yn and means to separate mentally. It also implies to consider.

• "and had an understanding of the vision."
  If someone were to say to me, I have an understanding, the implications to me are, that you only have a partial comprehension. However the phrase "had an understanding" derived from the Hebrew word bı̂ynâh means to perfectly understand.

Daniel 10:2-3 In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. 3) I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed.

• Mourn.
  The Hebrew word ’aḇal: It is a verb that means to mourn. The Word Study Dictionary tells us that the word implies, “Those who mourn are persons who mourn for looking at God's coming judgments” (Isa_19:8; Amo_8:8; Amo_9:5). As you can see I have given you their scripture references. The first two do not seem to apply when I try to find an example of someone who mourns because they are looking at God's coming judgment. However, when I look at Amos 9:5 I can almost see their point. Upon further investigation and looking at the context, which takes me back to Amos 8:2, I see this:
  
  

  KJV "And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them anymore."

It only gets worse for description. The idea of the end seems to be related to the time of wrath and judgment.

The literal translation says, I ate no food for delight, and no flesh or wine came into my mouth. I did not anoint myself at all until three weeks of days were fulfilled. This seems so understandable with no ominous legal aspect to it.

If I were to fast the first thing I would do is to ask myself why. If it is to pay more attention to God then I would divert myself from distractions. In today's world that might mean setting the smartphone aside, so that I could then give myself and my attention to God.

I suddenly found myself thinking about a statement that Oprah Winfrey openly confessed. She said she turned from the God and religion of her church-going mother because she came to understand that God was jealous. Oprah took that to mean that God was suspicious of her, and she could never have anything to do with a suspicious, overprotective God. Her mistake was thinking that she could do anything that would make God jealous. The reality is that God, like a lover, is jealous over us and longs for us to return to a restored relationship. I happen to value that God is that desirous for me. If I, in with my broken, sick mentality, thought that my fasting was merely to win the attention of a jealous God, then yes, this would be sick. So, if it is not mental depravity that motivates me, then what is it? Perhaps a desire for a relationship that is available but my flesh fights to prevent.

It would be logical to assume that Daniel is fasting, as he pleads with the Lord for an answer and wisdom. What are the parameters to Daniel's fast?

• No tasty food,
  Tasty - chamudah desirableness, preciousness: highly esteemed.

  A simple understanding would be to say, I ate no sweets, or perhaps gourmet food.

• nor did meat or wine enter my mouth
  Wine – the Hebrew word yayin: A masculine noun referring to wine. It indicates the juice of the grapevine and its fruits, a common drink for refreshment in the Old Testament (Gen_14:18; Gen_27:25; Jdg_19:19) The Complete Word Study Dictionary

  So it is safe to assume he drank water.

• nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed.

  So Daniel did nothing to freshen up around other people. Perhaps he had a three-week vacation and could afford to stink, who knows.

Daniel 10:4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris,

The four and twentieth day of the first month; that is, the month Nisan or Abib [early April]—the month in which the Passover was celebrated in every Jewish home. (The Pulpit Commentary)

How perfect is that, for the preparations involved in the Passover would have allowed for most of Daniel's food choices during this time. 
The celebration of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (14-21 Nisan) would have come and gone during Daniel's three weeks of preparation. There is absolutely no reason to think Daniel would have excluded himself from the Passover, especially since it is a command for the Jews to practice.

Daniel 10:5-6 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. 6) His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.

Sound familiar? It should for this is who the Apostle John saw as he looked into heaven; and, all of what John saw was a Revelation of Jesus, the Christ.

Revelation 1:13-15 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. 14) His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15) His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.

Even the Roman guards saw this imagery as Jesus came and sat upon the same stone that He had rolled away.

Matthew 28:2-3 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3) And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

Daniel 10:7-8 Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves. 8) So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.

• Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision;

This is comparable to what happened to Saul on the road to Damascus.

Acts 9:3-4,7 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4) and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" 7) The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

• “ Nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves”
• “So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.”

We, much to our demise, have put on great stage shows in an effort to show the world the impact we think God has on people. Daniel describes the phenomenon as, “no strength was left in me.”

Daniel 10:9 But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.

I want you to see something; it happens quite often in scripture and indicates that God is serious about what is being said and the immediate importance of the matter. It is the usage of the Hebrew word radam [fell^H7290a into a deep^H7290a sleep^H7290a ] and it is repeated three times. Its meaning is to fall into a deep sleep. To the Jews, this a pattern, and all prophetic words are aligned with a pattern.

Daniel is now face down on the ground.

Daniel 10:10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.

We sang along with the Christian group Mercy Me, so many years ago, I can only imagine what I will do. Apparently overwhelmed by the presence of the Lord we do much trembling.

Daniel 10:11 He said to me, "O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you." And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.

I so long for Him to say those words to me, calling me a man of high esteem.

• “..stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.”
• " And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling...

Daniel 10:12 Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.

• “ from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard”

We pray and our hearts cry out to God, but what do we do? We wonder if he hears us and cares. He does.

Daniel 10:13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.

• “ But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days”

Consider: When Satan rebelled he took one-third of the angels with him.

What are they doing today?I also ask you, how many of these fallen angels are there with him?

What we are seeing here is one of those fallen angels, and it has a name – the Prince of Persia.

A piece of discouraging news. Considering how powerful these angels are, you need to know that there are four chained up in the river Euphrates, awaiting the moment they are released upon the earth.

Revelation 9:14 one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."

It only took one angel to kill off the first born in Egypt, in one night. Apparently, Gabriel is the messenger to Israel, God's people, and in this case, Michael, one of the chief princes of the angel armies, has come to Gabriel's assistance.

Daniel 10:14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.

Daniel 10:14 Complete Jewish Bible So I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the acharit-hayamim; for there is still another vision which will relate to those days."

If I used the NASB exclusively I would be lead to believe that the two aspects of the statement are the same. But, having looked at the Complete Jewish Bible, it is clear that there is another vision as well. Regardless, what Daniel is about to hear applies to a distant future, that he will never see.

• “I have come to make you understand.”

Understand is the Hebrew word biyn and means to discern, to perceive, to observe, to pay attention to, to be intelligent, to be discreet, to understand; in the causative sense, to give understanding, to teach; in the reflexive sense, to consider diligently. [WSD.]  But have a look at the Strong's concordance and you will find that you have the added meaning of separating details.

A possible rewrite might say this: I have come to make you separate the details.

Daniel 10:15-18 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. 16) And behold, one who resembled a human being was touching my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who was standing before me, "O my lord, as a result of the vision anguish has come upon me, and I have retained no strength. 17) "For how can such a servant of my lord talk with such as my lord? As for me, there remains just now no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me." 18) Then this one with human appearance touched me again and strengthened me.

• He - Gabriel

Who did Daniel see in 10:5? Jesus and we have made this apparent. However, because of what we saw in verse 13, Gabriel now before him, I can make the assumption that Gabriel is the one with “human appearance” touching Daniel again.

Our presumption is that angels have wings. Balaam eventually saw the angel standing in the narrow pathway and all he saw was a sword intended for his death.

Daniel 10:19, 20 He said, "O man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you; take courage and be courageous!" Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, "May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me. Then he said, "Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come.”

• ”Then he said, "Do you understand why I came to you?”
• “ But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come.”

  Previously, we were told about the Prince of Persia, now, we learn about the prince of Greece. Having an understanding about the kingdoms of this world gives you some insight into the world of the demonic. These fallen angels have ranks and territories.

Daniel 10:21 "However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.

What, is the “writing of truth?” I see nothing outside of Daniel that defines this. There are, however, things like this: 

Psalms 119:160 NASB The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.

Revelation 22:19 NASB and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.

While the obvious fact is: there are books that God keeps, it seems these are documentations of merciful acts performed by people, used by God to show mercy at the end of time.

For it is given over to the nations. The continuing migration toward Revelation 16. Part 6

Chapter ten of Revelation is an interlude that also introduces what is to come prior to the seventh trumpet being blown.

Seven seals have been opened. Within the seventh seal are seven trumpeters. The earlier trumpet, the sixth in this vision, has blown releasing four angels who have spent their traitorous lives bound in the Euphrates river. These must be comparable to great generals within the armies of Satan, for they command an army of 200 million demonic horsemen. These creatures are like nothing man has ever seen, and are therefore fallen angels themselves.

As I have tried to understand what these judgments are, and the order in which they fall, there is this oddity. Odd in that, with the exception of “ it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months”, it seems like a peaceful scenario. What could it mean and what does it mean to us?

Revelation 11:1-2 ESV Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, "Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, (2) but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.

First, this makes me aware that at some point the temple will be rebuilt. Here we are in January of 2016 and I have recently become aware of some amazing information. It seems that by all accounts, the temple was built within the city of David. That means it can be rebuilt possibly half a kilometer north of where we think it should be. Hopefully, the Muslims will have one less thing to fight over.

Do you have any doubt about who the Gentiles are? If you want a generalization, then it is anyone outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ. We could take this all the way back to Ishmael if we had to.

Genesis 16:11-12 Darby “And the Angel of Jehovah said to her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael, because Jehovah hath hearkened to thy affliction. (12) And he will be a wild-ass of a man, his hand against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell before the face of all his brethren.”

I think it is fair to say, this is the beginning of the Arab nations as most Middle Easterners will tell you that they trace their heritage back to Ishmael and Abraham. While at a recent bible study the teacher said just that. The statement elicited some negativity from the argumentative old man in the back of the room. (He fancies himself the wealth of all knowledge.) His response, to make it short, was, “no it's not!” He ranted loudly as he attempted to dominate the teacher, but he offered nothing for evidence. Allow me to expose some evidence by taking you to Daniel's prophecies.

In Daniel chapter two, we find Daniel, not only telling the king what the dream was but explaining it as well. In his explanation we find this:

Daniel 2:41-44 Darby “And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potter's clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. (42) And as the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. (43) And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron doth not mingle with clay. (44) And in the days of these kings shall the God of the heavens set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the sovereignty thereof shall not be left to another people: it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, but itself shall stand for ever.”

I want you to notice the word mixed. It is the Hebrew word ‛ărab. Do you really think a Jew reading about the Gentiles trampling on the outer court has any doubt in their mind about what that means? Its primary interpretation lends itself to the Arab/Muslim world.

How long does this trampling go on? Forty-two months, or 1260 days. One might also say, three and one - half years. Does this sound familiar? It should, it coincides with the amount of time that the so-called treaty remains intact, and, one other aspect, the two witnesses.

Let's move on.

Revelation 11:3-6 ESV “And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." (4) These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. (5) And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. (6) They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.

When do these two witnesses show up?

We cannot be positive, but we can make some logical assumptions. Since they are only here for a short time, 1260 days, then God needs to make good use of them doesn't he? It would make sense for them to be witnesses to new believers seeing how the church as we know it will be gone. A peculiarity that helps us to understand those left on earth is that Matthew 25 opens with a parable about 10 virgins – all going to the same wedding. Sadly, fifty percent are unprepared and do not make it in. This is extremely symbolic of the church and tells me that the fifty percent will be here to struggle through the time of wrath, just as the nations will.

Would I ask you to follow the lead of those who could not lead themselves? Not likely, so, it makes sense, to me anyway, that God would send these two to show the world what he meant for us live in all along.

Revelation 11:7 ESV And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them,

I cannot be only one that sees the correlation between their being done, and this beast that rises from the bottomless pit. Do not go looking for some creature, it is a man, empowered by either Satan himself or a fallen angel/demon.

Daniel 7:25 ESV He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

When we read Daniel 7:25 do we see a man speaking or a demon?

Let me show you something from the Acts of the Apostles that demonstrates a demon acting out through a man.

“When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, "You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?” (Acts 13:6-10 ESV)

I believe Paul began by addressing the man, but his efforts take a quick turn when he calls Elymas the “enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?” How could this man fulfill all those roles? He couldn't unless Paul is addressing the activity of a demon in a man.

Doesn't what we see here sound like what we saw in Daniel 7:25 where it says, “he will speak words against the most high.”?

What do they do? They function as witnesses, but of what? This is not a good time to lean on religious traditional answers. A witness attests to what they know or has seen. This can be done through words or through visual demonstration. So, these are testifying to Jesus, as the Messiah; God, as the supreme ruler of the universe (in contrast to say, Allah.)

They protect themselves. How? “ if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed.”

They have control over the weather. “They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying,”

And, as they desire, “they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague,” This opens the door to the slightest of irritations.

As you probably ascertained, the two witnesses can also be seen as deadly. Who or what is their wrath directed at? The nations. I realize that spectrum seems a little broad a for two men, but they do shut down the rain and send plagues of every variety upon the earth, as they will.

So why they are here? They are here to:

• Show that God is in control, not the robber barons that think they run the earth.
• Draw attention to God by their actions and words.
• Demonstrate to people continuing to come to Jesus, how to walk in the power God intended.
• And, because of where they stand upon the earth and the violent attempts against them, it may be that they also serve as protection for those building the temple and wishing to use it.
  No, we believers, prior to the rapture, do not have the freedom to call fire down from heaven upon our enemies, but, we are instructed to love them. One of those directives comes from Jesus himself:

  Matthew 10:16 ESV "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Ponder their actions for a moment.

Revelation 11:5 ESV “And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed.”

Do you, like most of us, assume that they just stand in one spot, doing Jewish-oriented, religious things? Not hardly. Here is where the problem lies, we consistently put God in a box. As I have thought about these two, it does not make sense to merely have them stand there. In contrast, what kind of witness could they be if they were proactive? Very lively and visual ones for sure.

A few examples of proactive lives would be Peter and Paul:

Peter, now filled with the Holy Spirit and with the fire of God, stood on the day of Pentecost, in front of the large crowd that had gathered because the noise coming from the disciples (this included Mary and many others) was loud enough and so unusual that many heard them speaking in foreign languages, magnifying God. While Peter may have been brash at times, was there anything he did that demonstrated him acting boldly like this? No, if anything Peter fled, gave up the ministry, and went back to fishing. Later, we see Peter running one of the first home churches. It was on his watch that the couple who lied to God came separately to the home, bringing their “gift.” Peter said, why have you lied, you did not have to; and, independently they both dropped dead. Read Acts 5:1-15 and John 21.

Paul, knowing that he would have to leave a particular town, preached long into the night. A boy grew tired as he sat in the upper window where Paul was preaching and while sleeping fell out to his death. Paul, rushed down, prayed over him, raised him back to life and continued preaching.

The eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews tells us of people, who through faith fought against whole countries and won. They did what was right and received what God had promised. They shut the mouths of lions, put out fierce fires, escaped being killed by the sword. They were weak, but became strong; they were mighty in battle and defeated the armies of foreigners. Through faith, women received their dead relatives raised back to life. Read Acts 20.

But then, as some will say, these are old stories. That is why we have testimonies. Yes, most come out of third world nations, but they sound much like this description in Hebrews. I suppose the ideal thing would to be for you to read your bible. Elisha, a man of God, made an ax head to float because he understood how much trouble the young man would be in. The object here is not so much our ability to do unusual stuff as it is to know the one who gives us the power. We are not called during this time of grace to call fire down from heaven, but the day is coming when some will stop marauding forces from finding them or hurting them by using the name of Jesus. I suggest you read 2 Kings 6.

Know this, even though things look bleak God will preserve some. Others will die, just as they are today.

"But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:9-13 ESV)

I am going to venture a guess that most have figured out that I write to those left behind. Isn't it funny though how we religious folk can sit back and say, that won't be me. Don't you think that our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East, Africa, China, and North Korea were hoping that as well. They had hope and still the worst case scenario consumed them, and now they are dead. Suppose worse yet, are those being tortured for their faith like Richard Wurmbrand was.

Since anything less than a relationship with Jesus is not a viable option, what will you do? Who will you put your trust in? I strongly suggest Jesus, and before the wrath comes.

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It is for us to know. Luke 10:8

One of the popular phrases in “churchianity”, especially in these last days, is, “no man knows the day or the hour.” This of course gets applied to our ability to comprehend when Jesus is coming back for the church.

“no man knows the day or the hour.”

Allow me to try to debunk this statement.

First it has a context, and it is vital to understand the context before you can understand the scope of the statement, so let us look at that.

The verse itself is found in Matthew 24:36. It was the culmination of an ongoing barrage of questions from the crowd, the disciples, the elders and the chief priests. Matthew 22 shows us Jesus entering Jerusalem, riding on the colt, as a triumphant king might. This is exactly what Israel was looking for, but that all changed as he entered the temple with a whip made of cords.

Matthew 21:12-13 ESV And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. (13) He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers."

Prior to this they must have thought he would make his grand announcement, declaring his Kingship and instructions on how to overthrow the Roman oppression. Well that did not happen, instead He overthrew tradition and the tables of the money-changers. Quickly the adoring crowd turned hostile, especially the religious authorities.

Upon returning to the temple the next morning he is confronted by the chief priests and the elders, and they vehemently challenged him:

Matthew 21:23 ESV And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"

Jesus calmly put them in their place with a question which they could not, nor would not answer.

Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?" And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From man,' we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. (Matthew 21:24-27 ESV)

The conversations and parables seem to have continued there at the temple until Jesus and the disciples finally walked away. With all that had happened over the last two days, if he wanted the twelve to see anything, it was that He was God and had everything in control.

Wouldn't you know it, after all that, several of the guys:

Matthew 24:1 ESV Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.

The temple must have been magnificent. A symbol of their God, and the place where God dwells. The idea behind this can come from Numbers chapter 2 where the tabernacle is central to their focus:

From “Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary” - tabernacle of meeting. In the line of march, the tabernacle was in the central position—a symbol of not only Israel's protection of the holy objects, but also of the presence of God among His people.

Perhaps Jesus heart just sank at moments like this. After all you have seen and heard over the last two days and you have to show me this edifice. The same structure I threw the money-changers out of. I get it, its architecturally inspiring, but not what I wanted you to focus on.

Jesus responds to the disciples very specific questions with:

..., "You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." (Matthew 24:2 ESV)

Those foundation stones took an army of men to move and place there. That does not even seem feasible, and yet it happened in 70 A.D., approximately forty years after Jesus death and resurrection, when Jerusalem was under the reign of the Roman Emperor Titus Vespasian. (That is a whole other story.) The temple had been lined with Cedar and there were curtains draped everywhere, not to mention that virtually everything inside was made out of gold or covered in it. So when it got burned they dismantled the building to get at the gold that had melted and went between the cracks.

Several minutes passed and they are now on the Mount of Olives, one of Jesus' favorite places, when they ask:

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3 ESV)

To be honest, they have not figured out much of what He has said to them. We know this because scripture tells us that they did not get it until after His death.

So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.  (John 20:3-9 ESV)

The last two days for the disciples had been interesting to say the least, but now you are telling us that the temple, the symbol of who Israel is, will be completely destroyed. They were just a little confused, as they were the ones that put him on the colt. They watched the adoring crowds and knew what it meant, but this fizzled like a child's toy rocket. I suppose this is really what the context is all about - who are you and where is this going?

If I have a strong grasp on the context, then what is the answer to the question?

So, the second thing we have to pay attention to is one of the first things He said:

And Jesus answered them, "See that no one leads you astray.” (Matthew 24:4 ESV)

This is vital, and needs to be your anchor, no matter what happens.

Here is a piece of truth for you; you will be led astray by just about anything that comes your way if you do not spend time in God's word.

How many people and things are out there that are willing to lead you astray? In truth, the number is astronomical. Just in the 20th and 21st century there were about 27 people who claimed the title of Jesus or Messiah. Several found their callings while in prison. One felt called to go shoot the President of the United States, so it seems like it would be rather easy to sort out the good from the bad. And yet we are led astray by the simplest of things, like false teachers, especially if they have a strong personality and a great smile.

So what did they ask him?

Matthew 24:3 LITV And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be? And, What is the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?

This is one of the reasons why I wanted you to understand what had been going on for the past two days of their lives. Now, What did they ask him?

1. Tell us, when will these things be?

They had just pointed out the temple and found out that it is all coming down. They had to understand that there would be some huge calamity associated with that, and they wanted to know when. Soon is not really an answer in my book, so did He answer the question?

2. What is the sign of Your coming?

Like I said, the disciples put him on the colt and led him triumphantly into the city. They had hopes of him being the messiah, but it all came to a crashing halt when he threw the money-changers out of the temple. Now their question is, how will we know when you are going to come back as the Messiah we expected? This is not only answered by Jesus, but the signs are spoken of all throughout the Law and the prophets.

3. “When is time up?” as Eugene Peterson puts it in the Message.

When does all this come to a crashing halt, and your kingdom begin? That understanding has to imply all the horrific events that lead up to the end. Sadly, only a third of Israel survives the onslaught. This too was an aspect of the answer Jesus gave them.

Take the time to study Matthew 24:6-31. The detailed description continues, but I will leave you to finish reading it. Ask yourself, as you scan through what Jesus said, is there anything here which you have not seen happening? NO.

One of the markers of the end times – a huge and significant one – seems to have come in the form of a parable:

"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. (Matthew 24:32-34 ESV)

The fig tree is Israel, and Israel has significant dates such as:

• 1917 when the Balfour declaration was signed; Arthur James Balfour's purpose in confirming support from the British government, was for the establishment in Palestine of a "national home" for the Jewish people.
• In 1948 Israel became a nation, and the United States was one of the first to recognize them as such. How dreadful it is to see our American President turn against the nation of Israel.
• The most recent of events was the 1967 six day war. In this war Israel regained all the territories it had previously possessed. That possession was short lived as they were pressured by the U.N., to gave back much of the land. (Someone tried recently to argue that prophecy had not been fulfilled because was supposed to repossess all their former lands and that had not been done. While my mind is not as sharp as it might have been once, the Holy Spirit brought this piece of information about the six day war back to mind and shut down this argument.)

Other signs: There will be a treaty signed; a third temple built; a great deception, and again, the desecration of the temple - just as before. These are yet to come.

I would love to be able to say, you can count seven years with precision after the rapture, but God - the creator of time - does not seem to be restricted by time. It seems God uses time more like a guide, so he may come sooner or he may come later, but know this he will come.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Matthew 24:35 ESV)

Now, can we hold God to a precise timing as to when he will come back as the Messiah?

Sorry, but no.

Matthew 24:35-36 NASB "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. (36) "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

This does not mean that God cannot be trusted, nor does it mean that you cannot know the season. I mentioned Rabbi Mark Biltz because he alerted us to the blood moons – signs that indicate that we are in a significant season.

This idea of signs and seasons is not new; it is as old as Genesis itself.

And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, (Genesis 1:14 ESV)

The Prophet Joel told us that the moon turning to blood would be a significant sign, as well as the sun turning dark.

Joel 2:31 ESV The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

Are you aware of how bad the smog is in China? Look at this - 

China must broadcast videos of the sun because the smog is so bad

BEIJING, CHINA - The LED screen shows the blue sky on the Tiananmen Square (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

In Beijing they cannot even see the sky and must broadcast videos of what it looks like.

Since the subtopic is seasons for the moment, does a fruit tree respond to seasons? Certainly it does, but the fruit tree is really responding to environmental changes. No, I am not preaching climate change, I am only pointing out the obvious. Here in Southern California plants that used to produce fruit or leaves in March or later, are now producing foliage in February. Why? Because they are responding to the environment. They have adjusted and moved the time of their season. Is it possible that God can adjust time to fit his demand? Do we have the right to tell God when He gets to initiate his season? NO.

God can be trusted, but if he controls time, and he does, it just makes sense to not make predictions.

Considering the laugh-ability factor, enjoyed by both the world and certain aspects of the global church, especially when vocal people make a prediction and then nothing happens. It just makes sense to not make predictions. One personality that stands out in my mind was Harold Camping. I suspect that most of us knew nothing about Camping's claims until the very end when he had put up billboards declaring his predictions. He also had members of his church close bank accounts and give him the money (that is the aspect that ruffles my feathers). Camping claimed that the rapture would be on May 21, 2011 followed by the end of the world on October 21 of the same year. Well, 2011 has come and gone, Harold Camping has died, and what of the money? I digress.

On Wikipedia someone has listed Rabbi Mark Biltz as predicting the end in September of 2015. Mark Biltz was one of the earliest writers alerting us to the significance of the blood moons, their ties to Jewish Holidays, and their scientific documentation by NASA. The world is about to experience the last blood we will see in our lifetimes and it falls precisely on September 28, one of the highest Jewish Holy Days called Yom Kippur – the day of Atonement. Having listened to Mark Biltz on many occasions I can tell you that he backs away from date setting. Pastor John Hagee, it seems, jumped on the bandwagon initiated by others.

Is it just a coincidence that most of these have occurred within close proximity to Jewish holidays or horrid events involving the Jewish community throughout the world? I don't think so. 

Here are some other statements we are good at bashing each other with:

• That has been done away with! (I am not going to take the time to explain it. If you have heard it, then you know what I am talking about. Those who say this are often referring to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.)
• That is out of context! (You typically get this from the bible thumpers; you know, the people who always have some biblical point they have to make that proves their righteousness. These points are mostly comprised of their opinions.)
• God was speaking directly to someone, therefore what was said was applicable to them but not to us. (Really? Then what do you do with, 2 Timothy 3:16 NASB All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;)

I am sure I left some of the juicy ones out, but you get the point. There is always something that can be used to divert and discourage even the strongest of believers.

If I can feel comfortable using Matthew 24:36 to shut someone up, thinking I am religiously correct, scoring big points with God for slamming you, then I should just as readily quote Luke 10:8, even in its partial state, saying, “it is for you to know the mysteries.”

(Luke 8:9-10 ESV) And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'

Arguments against using this verse are extremely weak, just as they are for using Matthew 24:36, but allow me to point out a couple of quick ones:

• In Luke's gospel he is referring to secrets or mysteries, and not the overall time table of God's plan. If you want to be specific, the mysteries are embedded in the parables - stories designed to show those who are paying attention the depth and truth within the kingdom of God. Daniel spoke of mysteries, and yet the angel of the Lord explained that in the last days knowledge would abound. That tends to tell me that the knowledge of the end and God's holy plan would be more clear and some of us would get it. I get it.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:7-10 ESV)

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. (1 Corinthians 2:6-7 ESV)

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:1-3 ESV)

• Another argument that might be used against Luke 8:9-10 would be idea that the disciples asked a specific question requiring a specific, directed answer. This, again, is why I took the time to talk about the context involved with Matthew 24:36, since that was a series of directed questions and they were hoping for a specific and direct answer.
  Is this applicable only to the disciples? We have really covered this concern previously, but I give it to you again:
  “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;” 2 Timothy 3:16 NASB

Therefore all scripture is fair game when used in context. We are all very skillful at discouraging others when they go outside of the box we decide they have to live in. Christ gives us a tremendous amount of freedom, and most of us have a brain, so let's use them to do proper bible study, and pay attention to the signs going on around us.

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