Daniel's 70-7's

Daniel’s 70-7’s

At one time during His ministry, the disciples asked Jesus what signs to watch for in His Second Coming. The Holy Spirit considered the answer so important that it’s recorded in three different Books, Mark, chapters 13-14 ; Luke, chapters 21-22. And in Matt. 24. Let’s turn to Matthew 24 and look at Verse 3,

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Then Jesus tells them about the general conditions of the world just before His return. His description of those conditions are from verse 4 to 14. But then when we get to verse 15 it takes on a different characteristic. Now Jesus is more specific and tells them in verse 15,

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Here is something He said they could actually see but then, the last part says, “whoso readeth, let him understand” We are all whosoevers, aren’t we? Jesus is saying that we can understand this prophecy. But what is interesting is that Jesus mentions the Book of Daniel. And whenever Jesus, or anyone mentions something recored by one of the Prophets from the Old Testament they always take the words literally.

Let’s turn to Daniel, chapter 12, verse 4.

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Until this generation many of the things in the Bible, but especially the Book of Daniel, were “sealed up”. In other words no one understood what much of it meant until recent times. But today people are certainly running to and fro. In one hundred years we have gone from horse and buggy to landing a man on the moon. People are going “to and fro” so hard they’ll run you over. Here’s a word to you anyone who is running to and fro and doing it too fast. The next time a Patrolman pulls you over for speeding try to convince him you’re just fulfilling prophecy.

Knowledge is increasing. Today all of the knowledge in the world doubles every two years. That is a direct fulfillment of what Daniel prophesied. Keep your place in Daniel.

In the past we’ve studied most of the important prophecies that have to do with the Rapture and the Second Coming of the Lord. I know many of you are interested in learning more about prophecy so, tonight let’s look at what has been called the “backbone” of all Bible prophecy. It’s in this Book of Daniel.

When we think of Daniel we usually think of how God saved him from being the main course of a bunch of hungry lions. Someone once said the the reason the lions didn’t eat Daniel because he was full of grit and all backbone. But there is much more to Daniel than the lion’s den. Let’s turn to Daniel, chapter 9 and just hold your place there.

We’re going to go back to about 600 years before Christ. Daniel was taken captive by Babylonian armies when he was about 16 years old. When he got to Babylon Nebuchednezar made him an officer in his court. The name “Daniel” means “God is my judge”. Nebuchednezar couldn’t have a man walking around with a name like that because the Babylonians worshipped Bel, a false god. So King Nebuchednezar changed Daniel’s name to “Belteshazzar” which means, “May Bel protect him”.

Nebuchednezar changed Daniel’s name thinking that it would turn Daniel from his faith in God and accept the religion of Babylon. That’s just like the world. The world is preoccupied with names: Nike, Pepsi, Cadillac, Garth Brooks, Madonna, Elvis and on and on.

The world worships names and lifestyles. If you live a Godly life they give you a name with a lot less reverence. But it’s not the name the world gives you that matters. It’s not the name your parents gave you. It’s not the name above the church door that matters. It’s what is in your heart of hearts and believing in a Name that is above all names, and that Name is Jesus.

So Daniel is in Babylon, he’s in it but not of it. At this point of time Daniel he is more than 80 years old. The Bible says Daniel was “greatly beloved”. He spent much time praying. Because of his faithfulness, God is about to bless him with some revelation knowledge. Look at Daniel, chapter 9, verses 1-2,

“In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; 2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.”