In 1973, Producers hired a young director to make a movie based on Peter Benchley's novel about shark attacks called Jaws. That movie launched Steven Spielberg’s career at the age of 26 with its scary special effects. In fact, the movie was so scary that even to this day millions of Americans panic when they get wind that a shark might be present in a beach near their home. And I suspect that a persistent shark phobia keeps even some of us Kansans away from considering a vacation on the beach.
Even so, a recent article in Foreign Policy magazine last year claims that on average less than one American (0.92 people) dies each year from a shark attack. So just in case you really need something better to worry about, here's a list of some items more likely than sharks to cause your death while living in the United States:
Trampolines account for an average of 1.1 deaths per year.
Roller coasters take 1.15 lives per year. So the article advises, “Keep your hands inside the car; your next thrill-ride could be to the coroner's office.”
Free-standing kitchen-range tip-overs cause 1.31 deaths per year.
Vending machines account for 2.06 deaths per year. The article states, “So if those high-fat snacks don't take your life prematurely, rock or tilt that machine while looking for a freebie, and you'll be sleeping with the Pepperidge Farm goldfishes.”
Riding lawnmowers take 5.22 lives per year.
Fireworks cause 6.6 deaths per year. Although, technically, these deaths were caused more by careless and impatient people who peered into the PVC piping because the fireworks didn't seem to be igniting. Most of these deaths occurred despite safety posters warning something like, “Fireworks Can Burn at 2,000°F—Hot as a Blow Torch!”
Skydiving accidents account for 21.2 deaths per year.
Getting crushed by a television or furniture causes an average of 26.44 deaths every year in the United States. This statistic led the comedian Stephen Colbert to issue a warning against the perils of “terrorist furniture.”
The article concludes with a challenge to face our fears and take action. After reminding us that the risk factors of smoking, poor diet, lack of physical activity, and alcohol kill 87 percent of Americans prematurely, the article urges us to get off the couch, turn off Jaws, and go for a swim. (Micah Zenko, “There's Nothing in the Water…” Foreign Policy, 8-10-12; www.PreachingToday.com)
I like the sentiment of that article: “Face your fears and take action.” But the fact remains: there are an awful lot of fearful people in the world today.
National Geographic recently initiated a survey of Americans on their attitudes towards potential “Doomsday scenarios”. Here are some of the key findings:
More than 62 percent of Americans think the world will experience a major catastrophe in the next 20 years.
The four most likely disaster scenarios include (in order) a significant earthquake, a significant hurricane, a terrorist attack, a financial collapse.
71 percent envision a major disaster in their lifetime as an “act of God, not man.”
85 percent said they are not ready for a devastating event; &
25 percent claim they've done absolutely nothing to prepare for a major disaster.
When asked what people would do the night before they thought the world might end, these were the three highest answers: Resolve feuds with loved ones (27 percent); Have sex (24 percent); and Stock up on resources (20 percent). (Meghan Gleason, Nat Geo TV Blogs, “The Results Are In: Is It the End of the World as We Know It? Survey Says!” www.PreachingToday.com)
The vast majority of Americans are afraid of a major catastrophe in their lifetimes, something for which they say they are not ready. So what do we do about it? How can we face our fears and take action? How can we keep from being paralyzed by fear and help our friends and neighbors find real hope.
Well, if you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Daniel 11, Daniel 11, where the prophet Daniel found hope in an uncertain future. War looms on the horizon for His people, the Jews, but God gives him a message of hope even as they face a potential “doomsday scenario.”
Daniel 11:2 “Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will appear in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. (NIV)
Israel, at the time, is under Medo-Persian domination. It’s an uncertain time for Daniel’s people. They have recently returned to Jerusalem after a 70-year exile, and their enemies are trying to wipe them off the face of the map.
That’s when God tells Daniel what’s ahead for his people. He says that there will be three more Persian kings. Then a fourth Persian king will arise and invade Greece, and that’s exactly what happened!
The fourth Persian king after Daniel invaded Greece and took Athens. That king was Xerxes (whose queen was Esther). Later, the Greeks defeated Xerxes’ fleet of ships and regained control of their own land. But this aroused the anger of the Greeks which simmered for more than a hundred years. Then, when Alexander the Great came to power in Greece, he decided to get revenge and moved east to conquer the Persian Empire.
Thus ended the Medo-Persian domination of Israel, and Greece came to dominate Israel. Tradition tells us that when Alexander the Great came through Jerusalem, Jaddua (the high priest) showed him the prophecies of Daniel which told of the Greek conquest of Persia. So Alexander did not destroy Jerusalem like he did so many of the other cities he conquered. From there, Alexander the Great moved north and east, all the way to India. He conquered the world, but his reign did not last long. On his return to Greece, he stopped in Babylon, drank himself to death and died at the age of 33. The empire was then divided among his four generals.
Looking back, that’s what the history books tell us. But looking ahead 200 years, that’s also what God told Daniel would happen in his future.
Daniel 11:3 Then a mighty king will appear, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases. (NIV)
That turns out to be Alexander the Great!
Daniel 11:4 After he has appeared, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted and given to others. (NIV)
The empire was given to his generals, not to his descendants. It was broken up and parceled out to Alexander’s four generals, just like God told Daniel it would happen 200 years before the fact!
Then this prophecy gets even more detailed as it describes the future of Israel under Greek domination. Daniel 11:5-20 details the struggle between two of Alexander’s generals and their successors. Ptolemy had gained control of Egypt to the south of Israel (show on map), and Seleucid had gained control of Syria to the north (show on map).
Look who’s sandwiched in between these two powerful empires. You got it: Israel; and that’s not a good place to be, because the Ptolemy’s and the Seleucid’s were constantly fighting over this little piece of real estate. The Ptolemy’s in Egypt gained control of Israel first and pretty much left the Jews alone. Then the Seleucid’s in Syria gained control and ravaged Israel.
And Daniel, hundreds of years before it happened, writes about the exact nature of the conflict. He writes about marriage alliances that don’t work, invasions into each other’s land, and even interference from an outside power (which turns out to be Rome).
I count at least 10 specific prophecies in verses 5-20, and they all came true exactly as predicted hundreds of years later. There is only one explanation for this. This is God’s book, because only God knows the future. The phenomenon of fulfilled prophecy is one of the strongest arguments for the Divine authorship of the Bible, and here you have a prime example of that.
Peter Stoner, a mathematician, once figured the odds of eight (8) prophecies being fulfilled just by chance. Now, he was talking about prophecies related to the first coming of Christ, but I believe the probabilities would be similar regarding the prophecies here in Daniel 11 about the Greeks. This is what Stoner discovered: the chance for eight (8) prophecies to be fulfilled as a lucky guess is one in 10 to the 17th power, or one in 100 quadrillion.
Then Stoner gives an analogy to help us understand the enormity of this figure. He says, “Take 10 to the 17th power of silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They would cover the entire state two feet deep. Now, mark one of these silver dollars and thoroughly stir up the whole mess all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up the marked silver dollar on his first try. What is the chance that he would pick up the marked silver dollar on his first try? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had in making eight lucky guesses about the future with all of them coming true. (Ralph Winter, The Amazing Countdown Facts)
There is no way that Daniel’s prophecies here are lucky guesses. He records at least 10 predictions in verses 5-20, and more throughout out the chapter, and he doesn’t miss on a single one! There is only one explanation for all this, and that is that these predictions come from God himself! Only God knows the future, and God reveals that future to Daniel.
God revealed Israel’s future first under Persian domination, then under Greek domination; and then God talks about the final Greek ruler to dominate Israel. Skip down to verse 21, Daniel 11:21.
Daniel 11:21 “He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. (NIV)
Or through flatteries. He’ll make slick promises he never intends to keep (like a lot of politicians today).
Daniel 11:22-24 Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time. (NIV)
This king of the north, a Syrian ruler, will consolidate his power in ways his predecessors never could. Through lies, force, and pay-offs, he will gain control of the entire region north of Israel. And then, he will move against the king of the South, i.e., the king of Egypt.
Daniel 11:25-28 “With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. Those who eat from the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time. The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country. (NIV)
The king of the North, the Syrian king, will not get everything he wants at the negotiating table with the king of the South, the Egyptian king. So, on his return to Syria, he will take out his frustration and anger on the Jews, the people of God’s holy covenant. Then…
Daniel 11:29-30a “At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. Ships of the western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. (NIV)
The “western coastlands” here is Rome, across the Mediterranean Sea to the west of Syria and Israel. Roman ships will stop the Syrian ruler from invading Egypt, and he will be even madder than before!
Daniel 11:30b Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant. (NIV)
This Syrian Greek ruler will vent his fury against Israel.
Daniel 11:31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. (NIV)
He will desecrate the temple in Jerusalem with something the Jews find very abhorrent.
Daniel 11:32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. (NIV)
Some Jews will believe his lies and deny their faith. I.e., they will “violate the covenant” God had made with them. But faithful Jews will organize a firm resistance against him; and even though many of them will die, the nation itself will be refined and purified so that they never worship idols again.
Daniel 11:33-35 “Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. (NIV)
God tells Daniel, “At the appointed time, all this will happen.” And it did happen exactly as God said it would.
Daniel was looking ahead from the perspective of prophecy. But we, from the perspective of history, can look back and see that God’s Word was true and accurate down to the tiniest detail! We’ve seen what God said would happen hundreds of years before it happened. Now, let’s see what the history books tell us actually happened, now over 2,000 years ago.
The last Syrian, Greek ruler to dominate Israel turned out to be Antiochus IV. He called himself Antiochus Epiphanies, which means “the illustrious one”, but he was so ruthless and conniving, people often called him, “Antiochus Epimanies” – which means “the mad-man.”
Unlike any of his predecessors, he was able to consolidate all the power of the Seleucid Empire in Syria under his control. Then he invaded Egypt, the realm of the Ptolemies, twice.
The first time, he was mostly successful. He defeated the vast Egyptian army and sat down at the negotiating table, but he did not come away with everything he wanted. He was not able to gain control of the entire Egyptian realm, so he returned home frustrated and angry.
Well, as he was returning through Israel, he vented his anger on the Jews. Then two years later, Antiochus IV invaded Egypt again. Only this time, he was stopped by the Romans, just like God told Daniel it would happen 300 years previously (vs.30). A Roman emissary took a letter to Antiochus from the roman Senate, forbidding him to go to war against Egypt. Antiochus asked for time to consider, but the Roman emissary drew a circle in the sand around Antiochus and demanded his answer before he stepped out of that circle. Antiochus, knowing that he dare not defy Rome, which by now was growing in strength, grudgingly submitted to Rome’s demands and went home discouraged and humiliated.
Again, he had to pass through Israel, and again he vents his anger on the Jews; but this time, he is even more furious than before. This time, he tried to wipe out the Jewish religion. He demanded that their scriptures be destroyed, that idols be erected, and that the Jews eat swine’s flesh.
Then on December 16, 167 B.C., Antiochus IV turned the temple in Jerusalem into a temple to Zeus and offered a pig on the altar. This was the “abomination that causes desolation” that God warned Daniel about in verse 31 300 years before it happened!
Then the Jews turned against Antiochus. Maccabeus, whose name means “the hammer,” led a guerilla army against the Syrians and three years later liberated Jerusalem. As God promised Daniel 300 years earlier, they indeed “firmly resisted” Antiochus (vs.32). He died a year later in 163 B.C., after going insane.
Many Jews lost their lives during that revolt, but they were refined as a nation (vs.35). They never turned to idols again.
It all happened exactly as God told Daniel it would! God knows what’s ahead. So instead of being afraid of the future…
TRUST GOD WHO KNOWS THE FUTURE.
Depend on the Lord who is not surprised by anything that happens in your life. Rely on the Sovereign King of the Universe who can competently guide you in perilous times, because He knows exactly what is going to happen.
Imagine yourself as a Jew living during the time of Antiochus Epiphanies. They would be very scary times of uncertainty until you read Daniel, chapter 11. Then you would find some reassurance, knowing that everything is happening just as God said it would happen.
Well, you can still find that reassurance today in scary times of uncertainty. God may not have revealed to you your exact future like He did for Daniel, but God knows the future just the same. And you can be sure everything is going according to plan.
You see, God KNOWS the future, because God CONTROLS the future. So when you trust the God who KNOWS the future, you…
TRUST THE GOD WHO CONTROLS THE FUTURE.
You depend on the Lord who has it all planned out. You rely on the Sovereign King of the universe who “works all things after the counsel of His own will” to refine and purify us until we are “conformed to the image of His Son.”
God talks about “the appointed time” three times in this chapter: verse 27 “an end will still come at the appointed time;” verse 29 “at the appointed time he will invade the South.” Verse 35 “it will still come at the appointed time.”
“There is a time for everything,” Ecclesiastes 3 says, “and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4)
God has an appointed time for everything. It is ALL a part of His plan, and He is working that plan right down to every detail, even to the point of raising up evil, insane rulers who persecute His people sometimes. God’s plan also included a cross for His One and Only Son, Jesus. It was the greatest wrong done to anybody in all history, yet God planned even that horrendous, unjust and painful act to accomplish our salvation.
God has an appointed time for everything, even the unjust suffering of his own people. Why? Because He knows that that suffering refines and purifies us.
J. I. Packer once said, “God uses chronic pain and weakness, along with other afflictions, as His chisel for sculpting our lives. Felt weakness deepens dependence on Christ for strength each day. The weaker we feel, the harder we lean. And the harder we lean, the stronger we grow spiritually, even while our bodies waste away. To live with your “thorn” uncomplainingly… is true sanctification. It is true healing for the spirit. It is a supreme victory of grace. The healing of your sinful person thus goes forward, even though the healing of your mortal body does not. And the healing of persons is the name of the game so far as God is concerned.” (J. I. Packer, Hot Tub Religion)
God is not so much concerned about healing your body as He is about healing YOU! – I.e., who you are on the inside. And sometimes that takes a little pain.
So how do you face your fears and take action? You face your fears with faith. Trust God who knows the future, because He controls the future to refine and purify His own.
Barbara Brown Taylor talks about the three days, several summers ago, that she spent on a barrier island where loggerhead turtles were laying their eggs. One night while the tide was out, she watched a huge female heave herself up the beach to dig her nest and empty herself into it while slow, salt tears ran from her eyes.
Afraid of disturbing her, Barbara left before the turtle had finished her work but returned next morning to see if she could find the spot where the turtle’s eggs lay hidden in the sand. What she found were her tracks, only they led in the wrong direction. Instead of heading back out to sea, the turtle had wandered into the dunes, which were already hot as asphalt in the morning sun.
A little ways inland Barbara found her, exhausted and all but baked, her head and flippers caked with dried sand. After pouring water on the turtle and covering her with sea oats, Barbara fetched a park ranger, who returned with a jeep to rescue her. The ranger flipped the turtle over on her back, wrapped tire chains around her front legs, and hooked the chains to the trailer hitch on his jeep. Then he took off, yanking her body forward so fast that her open mouth filled with sand and then disappeared underneath her as her neck bent so far Barbara feared it would break.
The ranger hauled the turtle over the dunes and down onto the beach. At the ocean's edge, he unhooked her and turned her right side up again. She lay motionless in the surf as the water lapped at her body, washing the sand from her eyes and making her skin shine again.
Then a particularly large wave broke over her, and she lifted her head slightly, moving her back legs as she did. The turtle revived, and every fresh wave brought her life back until one of them made her light enough to find a foothold and push off, back into the water that was her home.
Barbara says, “Watching her swim slowly away and remembering her nightmare ride through the dunes, I noted that it is sometimes hard to tell whether you are being killed or being saved by the hands that turn your life upside down.” (Barbara Brown Taylor, “Preaching the Terrors,” The Art & Craft of Biblical Preaching, Zondervan, 2005; www.PreachingToday.com)
Has your life been turned upside down recently? Trust the Hands that did it to you. They belong to a God who wants to save you from yourself.
