IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

The Wise Will Instruct Many

Date: Apr. 23, 2019

Passage

Daniel 11:28-45 (ESV)

28 And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.

29 “At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before. 30 For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. 33 And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. 34 When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, 35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.

36 “And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. 37 He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all. 38 He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.

40 “At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. 41 He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. 44 But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. 45 And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 11:33

And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.

1. The people who know their God (28-35)

The king of the North here is the antichrist. He is against the holy covenant. He will abolish the daily sacrifice and set up an abomination that causes desolation. He flatters and will corrupt covenant violators with flattery. But the people who know God will resist him firmly. The wise will instruct many in faith though they would suffer. Some will fall and some will lose faith, but God will purify and refine them until the end, though the end doesn't seem to come.

2. The end of an antichrist (36-45)

Here the ruler who invades the Beautiful Land seems to fit the Antiochus lV Epiphanes. He exalted himself above gods and did what he pleased for a while. But the end came to him and no one helped him. Such is the fate of all who oppose God.

Prayer: Lord, Jesus died for us and was raised and will come as the judge. Strengthen us to resist the antichrist. Help us be wise to instruct many to return to you.

One Word: Resist devil and be wise to instruct many to turn to God

Daily Bread

God’s Wrath and Justice

Revelation 6:1-17

Key Verse: 6:17

for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Read More

Intro Daily

Today's Question

What does God require from us to escape His anger and curse, which we deserve for our sin?

See answer and references