Sabbath: From Battle to Victory
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study: Eph. 6:12, Dan. 10:1-21, Ezra 4:1-5, Josh. 5:13-15, Rev. 1:12-18, Col. 2:15, Rom 8:37-39.
Memory Text: “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!” (Daniel 10:19, NKJV).
Daniel chapter 10 introduces the concluding vision of Daniel, which continues in chapters 11 and 12. We are informed at the outset that this vision concerns a “great conflict” (Dan. 10:1, ESV). While Daniel 11 fleshes out some details of this conflict, Daniel 10 shows its spiritual dimensions and reveals that behind the scenes of earthly battles rages a spiritual conflict of cosmic proportions. As we study this chapter, we shall see that when we pray, we engage in this cosmic conflict in a way that has profound repercussions. But we are not alone in our struggles; Jesus engages the battle against Satan in our behalf. We shall learn that the ultimate fight we are engaged in is not against earthly human powers but the powers of darkness.
As the apostle Paul put it centuries after Daniel: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12, NKJV). Ultimately, our success in the conflict rests on Jesus Christ, who alone defeated Satan at the cross.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 14.
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I have read a lot of history this quarter and have learned a lot (and have had to unlearn a fair bit as well). One thing that I have learned is that from a world perspective, the people of God have always been pretty small. The big players in Old Testament times were Egypt and the various Mesopotamian empires and in their fights with one another, Israel just happened to be in the way. During the intertestamental period, the Achaemenid Empire (Medo-Persia) and the Greek empires scrapped with one another up and down the east Mediterranian coast. Then during the Hellenistic period, the Ptolemaic and Seleucid kingdoms took their turn as fighting one another over the Israel territory. During the pagan Roman period, euphemistically called Pax Romana, various factions within the Roman empire fought one another, with the little nation of Hebrews caught like the meat in a sandwich.
The Papal period was characterized by continual battles between the entities dominated by political Christianity. True believers were often caught between the winds of political strife by the major parties.
The battle between good and evil among world powers is often hidden by the battle between the factions of those who are selfish. If there is a miracle to be considered, then it the fact that God's message had survived at all.
Daniel's visions of the final chapters give us a glimpse of the these battles and offer us hope and encouragement.
Daniel moved across the prophetic landscape of the Persian and Greek periods with two objectives. First, the prophetic form authenticated the message. Just like the miracles of Jesus proved “he was a teacher come from God,” so the prophecies of Daniel 11 demonstrated divine inspiration and revealed a deeper message that went beyond the details of the prophecy itself. Predictive prophecy proves inspiration!
Second, the historical developments prophesied in chapter eleven provided the context out of which a most significant event surfaced — a religious and national crisis (i.e., the persecution by Antiochus IV). The demise of God’s people seemed imminent from an earthly view. But Heaven announced the purging effect that this persecution would have on the nation and predicted the end of the affliction. Not even death would mean defeat for the faithful of God, for ultimate victory is measured in the resurrection (12:2). Divine revelation brings a message of hope!
In chapter eleven we progress swiftly from military conflicts, to religious persecution, to victory by the power of God. The faithful of those days, and of any age, are taught about hope and justice. They are tempered by the message’s form — predictive prophecy. They are strengthened by the message’s theme — God rules in the kingdoms of men (Daniel 2:21; 4:17; Isaiah 44:24-45:13). These truths ought to motivate one to serve the living God with the same dedication that Daniel himself exemplified.
Daniel 11 commenced with the prophet’s own day, referring to four subsequent monarchs of the Persian era. A description of the Greek Empire of Alexander the Great followed, along with the consequent division of the empire after the untimely death of the Greek conqueror. Two of those divisions came into greater focus because of their proximity to the Jews. They were the Ptolemaic (Egyptian) and the Seleucid (Syrian) powers, described also as the kings of the south and north.
Daniel was just a human being like me and you. But because of dedication in prayer and summition, the angel Gabriel came to him and revealed the secret battle between devinity and devil from begining to the end. With prayers God has not left us to poverty, He is still faithful to us if we dedicate our hearts and prayers to him.
Be my protector, my defender and my guide Holy Spirit. I am not alone for my father is with me.
From Genesis to revelation we see a spiritual battle raging. The battle for the soul. Before any force can get our soul, it must first get and occupy our minds. Eg before Eve fell to Satan. Paul writing to the Ephesians in Eph 6:12 mentioned the battle we are fighting is a spiritual one where Satan and his angels are involved. Daniel prayer was heard, his answer was on the way but a barrier was created.
Question.
What is the work of good angels?
Who was the prince of Persia? Who were his subjects?
Who was the prince of Greece? Who were his subjects?
Was Michael who came to assist Gabriel another angel? If not why not?
Would Jesus as God fight with the Devil, wouldn’t the other angels say it is an uneven battle. Remember when he walked and he lived here he was living as a man and depended on his father but spoke through angels many times to his father.
Was it a physical fight or was it a battle about circumstances and truth?
Bro Maurice,
I consider myself your student in the Sabbath School study commentary.
I find your your expositions on varied topics very well researched and therefore most interesting to me. I would be interested to know from you if you have any publications wherein you have put together your thoughts on some these religious matters.
God bless you.
Ken
Thank you for your kind words Ken. My only publications on spiritual matters are the comments you see published here. I have not really thought about publishing in this area more formally, but I know what is involved, haveing written several academic papers and a thesis on computer science. Writing something that others may read several times scared me spitless. I would rather encourage others to study and read for themselves so that our conversations are stimulating and encouraging.
Bro Maurice,
Thank you for your kind response.
You have contributed well for the secular education, I thank you.
How I pray that you could consider publishing too for the spiritual good-as the Spirit of God would guide.
May you richly be blessed as you continue enlighting more on the Sabbath School study.
God's grace!
Ken
I discovered an anomaly between translations in Daniel 10:1, here are two examples:
(ASV) ... and the thing was true, EVEN A GREAT WARFARE:
(KJV) ... and the thing was true, BUT THE TIME APPOINTED WAS LONG:
Can anyone give any further explanation on these choices. They both make sense, Dan 11 is exposing a great spiritual warfare which ties up with our use of the words "The Great Controversy" and Daniel is also told that it concerns "the time of the end"
Dan 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 9 shows that there is a trouble until the 1st coming of the Messiah, just like Rev 12:7 And there was war in Heaven. Michael and his angels warring against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels warred
Dan 9:24-27 Seventy weeks are decreed as to your people and as to your holy city, to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. 25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going out of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of affliction. 26 And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined, until the end shall be war. 27 And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and on a corner of the altar desolating abominations, even until the end. And that which was decreed shall be poured on the desolator.
Maybe this was part of the reason that Daniel was mourning?