If you would ask, then ask, and come back yet again '
Our heading is drawn from the closing words of a prophecy spoken against Edom by the prophet Isaiah: (Isaiah 21:11-12)
" An oracle concerning Dumah: Someone calls to me from Seir:
` Watchmen, what of the night? Watchmen, what of the night? '
The watchman replies:
` The morning comes, but also the night. If you would ask,
then ask, and come back yet again'. "
As we are only intending to use the principle contained within these verses, we will not spend too much time on them. Nevertheless, in order to see this principle we must first set out the background to this prophecy. The opening words give us an understanding of whom Isaiah was speaking to. It was `an oracle concerning Dumah', a son of Ishmael, from whom came the Edomites who were occupying the land to the south of Israel - the land of Edom. The name `Dumah' has within it a meaning of `the stillness or silence associated with death'. This gives us a better understanding of the oracle which Isaiah spoke concerning the Edomites who dwelt in a land that would be called Dumah - the land of the dead! Continuing in the same verse we hear of `someone (who) calls from Seir', enquiring about the darkness, and from what we now know from historical records we are able to `flesh out' these verses to give them meaning.
Within the Seir range of mountains there lies the city of Petra, which is totally enclosed by high cliffs, apart from an entrance through a very narrow gully. It was traditionally an area of refuge, which eventually grew into a thriving city. The people living there were secure within the rose coloured cliffs, for a small force could defend the narrow gully against a hostile army without any real effort. But now the Edomites, alarmed at the devastation of the northern kingdom of Israel by the Assyrian armies, were beginning to doubt their security. Isaiah the prophet spoke into that fear, telling them not to be concerned . . this time! Morning comes . . the Assyrian armies will withdraw . . but just as surely as the morning comes, and is followed by the night, the night of judgement will fall upon the Edomites. `If you don't want to believe me', says Isaiah, `then ask again, and come back yet again to make doubly sure that you hear what is being said.' The morning did come . . to be followed by the night . . for in 715 BC the armies of King Sargon of Assyria swarmed over the land, even to the most remote parts of Edom.
But this, as they say, is now history. As we said earlier, we are merely intending to use the principle contained within these verses, leaving behind any suggestion of a foreshadowing parallel. In man's ongoing search for security and peace there is only one certainty, which is that everything is an illusion, a dream, for the stain of sin eventually erodes even the most carefully arranged alliances that kings and emperors - and more recently, politicians - could ever arrange. Even the Edomites, as they watched from their mountain fortress of Petra, deep within the seemingly impenetrable mountains of Seir, knew their security was a fragile thing. They knew the nation of Israel was watched over by God! They knew the Israelites had been chosen, called out of Egypt and taken into the land of Canaan by Him! They knew the Israelites had always known the protective hand of God upon them as He dealt with their enemies! But now the mighty Assyrian empire had toppled even the nation of Israel, so could there be any hope of real security and peace for them if even the Israelites could be overrun?
With this in mind we will wrench our thoughts back to the 21st century, and using the principle seen in `the oracle concerning Dumah', introduce it into a contemporary setting. `Watchman, what of the night? The morning comes, but also the night.', within these verses there lies a paradox which we can only express in this way: The world in which we live no longer exists! This expression fits in with the meaning of the word `paradox', which is defined as `a seemingly absurd yet well-founded statement'. The country in which we live, which is part of the world in which the nations outwork their lives, has a reasonable permanence about it. The seasons come and go . . there is giving and taking in marriage . . children and grandchildren are born . . a social life . . a few ups and downs, but still there is a feeling of permanence. Politicians become more vocal at election time, but they soon step back into the usual routine once they are back in business. Certainly in Western culture the slogan could well be: Business as usual.
Where, then, is the paradox? The general population form their lives around a social system which was built and matured by a much earlier generation, for the `secure' social fabric of our lives has been fashioned by people who have since died, and we fail to see that we are governed today by peoeple who have different standards to those who formed the `secure' fabric of the life we now lead. Today's different standards are `meat' for the news media and form the gossip of everyday life. In reality they are the basis for the breakdown of the security upon which society stands or falls. The cynical criticism of the general public is but the cry to the watchman `what of the night', and the unspoken thoughts are, `morning comes, but also the night'. In the real sense this paradox - this statement that we are living in a world which no longer exists - is indeed `a well-founded statement'. It is for reasons such as this that Christian disciples are called to live their lives `in the world but not of it', and to fix their hope on things eternal, where there are no paradoxes but only `the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will'.
Clearly we live in our own disturbing times. There is a tremendous move of God taking place in the Church, although we would suggest that the true movement of God is not in fleshy emotional meetings but in the shaking of all things `so that what remains cannot be shaken'. It is inevitable that in a time of such shaking, not only in our own Church life but also in our national life, there will be a desire to turn back to a more secure time and place. But this will lead to a turning in upon ourselves and seeking comfort in personal blessings, and through those `blessings' there will be a `morning' of security - for a time! As the shaking continues in our present Church and national life, we also need to be reminded of our heavenly calling, safe in Christ Jesus in an everlasting Kingdom: (Hebrews 12:1-3)
" Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. "
* Extracted from our IN PERSPECTIVE publication `When the People are Gathered' No.8 Please E-mail or telephone for a complete copy
OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH
As disciples of the Lord Jesus we believe in:
GOD THE FATHER
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
GOD THE SON
Our Saviour, Jesus Christ
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Spirit of Truth
YET ONE GOD
Triune and Eternal
We believe that: Salvation is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and not by works. Salvation is found in no other person. Jesus Christ, God the Son, became man, was born of a virgin from uncorrupted Seed from the Holy Spirit. He was crucified on a cross, bearing totally, once and for all time upon Himself the sins of the world. He rose from the dead by the power of God on the third day and broke the power of death. Now He lives in Glory with His Father in Heaven.
We believe in: Baptism by total immersion following repentance and receiving Jesus as Lord; the manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Church; the Baptism in the Holy Spirit for those who ask to receive power to fulfill our calling as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ; the Bible with its 66 Books of Scripture, in its original manuscripts, which is the total and final revelation of God's will and purpose. It is TOTALLY reliable, TOTALLY infallible, and TOTALLY self-interpreting, without error, and revealing God's total plan of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit.
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EXERGESIS
` There is a time for everything '
Within Christian communities there are in general two main groups. There are those who take the Scriptures as the total, final revealed Word of God and their sole authority for matters of faith and doctrine. There are others who add traditions (as defined by their `church') and consider them to have equal authority with Scripture. Within these two main groups there are, of course variations in the application of these matters, but these variations are minor and do not detract from our opening comments. But, strangely enough, it would seem that those of the second persuasion seem to have a higher sense of the timelessness of God's dealings with His people. Perhaps adding their traditions to the Bible as their defined authority has given them a sense of God's workings through centuries of time!
The first main grouping, with their immediate interpretation of Scripture, are for `quick-fix' solutions, and they seem uneasy with a God who, although outside of time, seems to have no difficulty with prophecies spoken through a prophet, such as Isaiah, which after many centuries still await fulfillment. And yet they insist upon an immediate act of God regarding `words' given in various charismatic meetings, even though they may soon be forgotten. Leaving aside the probability that some of the `prophetic utterances' at charismatic meetings are merely well-intentioned words of encouragement, the problem seems to persist into well established Christian ministries - particularly those involved in `end time' revelation, which often seems to be newspaper exergesis rather than spiritual revelation.
When looking at or reading of contemporary events unfolding daily on our TV screens or in our newspapers and magazines, we need to keep firmly in mind that what we see and read of had been forming over a long period of time before it became newsworthy, and in the forming process there had been much shaping and reshaping, and many twists and turns involving historical figures who have long ago disappeared off the world stage, forgotten by all but a few. We may well become excited by what we see happening, and if we are scholarly we may well look back over a generation or two and gain understanding of the course that initiated the events we now see. But we would suggest that the roots which have produced the contemporary world are deeper in age and time, and they are entangled with other matters which have emerged and are seeking our attention for their unique but secondary importance.
In the world outside the Christian Church there also appears to be these same groupings, although they are obviously not concerned with matters pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Scripturally, of course, we can see that what we call `the tangled roots that have produced the contemporary world' can be traced back to the Book of Genesis and Adam's rebellion - the tangled roots of that rebellion producing a continuing flowering over the course of the centuries. We would suggest, however, that when these various `flowerings' of events appear they produce other events which in turn outwork themselves in unique ways over a very long period of time.
Over the centuries history has produced many men with thinking abilities that shine in a mundane world. We call them
philosophers - men who think, who articulate, who write and expound new and exciting possibilities for the future of mankind. But unknown to the large majority of the popluation, these people profoundly affect the social, political and religious structures upon which our civilised society is built. Historians call such a flowering `the Renaissance', but before this flowering burst upon the nations of the West the philosophers had prepared the way generations earlier.
For those who doubt that philosophy has such an influence, we would mention Karl Marx. He was a disciple of a renowned German philosopher named Ludwig Feuerback, and there is little doubt that the thinking, writing and talking of Karl Marx has affected the whole world. During the nineteenth century there appeared a new wave of such people - spawned, no doubt, from an earlier event which historians record as `the French Revolution'. With its cries of `Freedom and Liberty' it released a tidal wave of humanism into the Western nations that only now, as the wave has subsided, can we see the devastation these men and their philosophy caused. And the debris which we call `modern society' is evident to all who care to be honest!
Among the philosophers of the last century one perhaps stands out above the others - Friedrich Nietzsche, remembered by Christians for his remark `God is dead'. In his writings Nietzsche states:
" If God is dead, it is we who have killed Him . . . we are the assassins of God. "
However we need to understand what people like Nietzsche meant by that statement, for only then shall we fully understand what was the `flowering' from the tangled roots that lie beneath the ground of our civilised society. Such men are known to us as `Atheists', but a more correct description would be `Anti-Theists'. It was not that they did not believe in God - they expounded the theory that `god' was in everyone and needed to be released! They argued that `Christianity' was mankind's way of projecting that divine part of their nature into a recognisable form of religion, because they believed that mankind would not accept the fact that man was the highest form of life and intelligence. Therefore, to pronounce the `death of God' was their way of making man accept that he was what they said he was. The death of the god of the Christians became the fulness of the life-intelligence of man, and God was no longer needed as a projection of man because man had fully accepted who he was. God was henceforth dead - and man was fully alive!
It was philosophy such as Nietzsche's being released that sounded the death knell of Western culture, founded as it was upon Scriptural principles. If God was dead, Christianity had no reason for existence. The foundation and the pillars of Western civilisation was destroyed through the work of such men as Nietzsche, and in its place was erected the new structure of anti-Christian humanism.
The consequences of that act require little comment. History books are full of the horrors of the world wars the West has experienced (and has largely been responsible for) since the nineteenth century. And that history is still being written in our contemporary times, so with this introduction - which we shall re-introduce at a later stage - we will now turn to Daniel Chapter 10 to see if we can trace within God's Word a Scriptural principle for these times.
First we need to remind ourselves of the background against which the details of this chapter are set. Daniel was taken into captivity to Babylon following the destruction of the southern kingdom of Judah by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar, and there he grew into a position of great authority through his God-given revelation and interpretation of the king's dreams and visions. Daniel was to live out the rest of his life in captivity under the rule of many kings, until at last `the LORD's anointed one' was raised up to break the yoke of captivity upon God's people:
" This is what the LORD says to His anointed one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him . . . " (Isaiah 45:1)
This was now the time when God would raise up the mighty Persian Empire, under Cyrus, who would be His instrument to smash the Babylonian Empire. Persia is modern-day Iran (which has the meaning of `the land of the Aryans'). It came into its historical form in 1500 BC through the migration of two dominant tribes, the Amadai (Medes) and the Persians (from the land of Parsua). By the year 700 BC the Persian tribe had gained prominence and increased its territory, becoming known as Parsa (the Persian lands). Cyrus the Great is historically accepted as the founder of the Persian Empire, and he is the one who appears in Scripture. He ascended to the throne in 559 BC and quickly conquered the land of the Medes, followed on by Lydia, whose king was the legendary Croesus.
But although the land of the Medes was swallowed up into the Persian Empire, the Medes were apparently held in high esteem and rose to great heights within the empire of Cyrus. For instance, we see in Daniel Chapter 10 that Darius the Mede was called King of Babylon, for by then the old Babylonian Empire was part of the Persian Empire, which stretched up to Armenia, covering the whole of Asia Minor, across to Egypt and taking in the land of Israel. From the historical records available Cyrus appears as a humane king, for he reversed the harsh policies of Assyria and Babylon, who had taken whole populations of the conquered countries into captivity in their own lands. So with this background established we can now turn to Daniel Chapter 10:
" In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel."
But to avoid any confusion concerning historical dates we need to look at the opening verse of the preceeding chapter, where it says: (Daniel 9:1)
" In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom . . . "
We also see the same context at the beginning of Chapter 11 (an angel was speaking to Daniel) (Daniel 11:1)
" And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him. "
However, Darius the Mede must not be confused with Darius Hystaspes (known as Darius 1 the Great), who was to restore the Persian Empire following the
suicide of Cambyses 2nd, the son of Cyrus, who reigned after Cyrus was slain in battle. Darius the Mede, a person of great authority, was made ruler over Babylon under the overall kingship of Cyrus. In a sense he could be called a sub-king, although that title does not really do justice to his authority as ruler of the province of Babylon, which by then was part of the mighty Persian Empire. This background may seem somewhat academic, but it is set down in order to avoid confusion and doubt arising from seemingly confusing names and dates.
And so it was in the time of Darius the Mede that a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar): (10:1)
" Its message was true and concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision. "
Some versions add a footnote concerning the `great war' that was to be revealed, suggesting instead that it was a `great word'. But in view of what Daniel was about to experience, the two words combined give an even greater depth to the revelation, for Daniel was given `a great word about a great war'. Within the context of chapters 9,10 and 11 we gain understanding that Daniel was so overwhelmed by what he saw and heard that he prayed and mourned for three weeks and ate no choice food - no meat or wine touched his lips. So often in Scripture we find that those to whom God has chosen to reveal His will and purpose undergo great distress and anguish of soul. It would seem that God does not impart precious truths until the vessel is fully set apart for His purposes.
This, then, is the ongoing work of what is recorded in Daniel 9:2-3:
" I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the Word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So I turned to the LORD God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. "
The people from the kingdom of Judah, now in captivity, were prospering greatly under the benign and humane authority of Cyrus. God's people were enjoying their stay `in a foreign land'! No longer were their cries and lamentations heard that the Psalmist talked about: `By the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept when we remembered Zion'! A new generation of the people of Judah were more than content with their lot. No longer did they consider the rich land of Babylon to be captivity! But set among the people of Judah was Daniel, and there were others like him, who did remember Jerusalem and the promises of God concerning the nation of God. Daniel knew his God as a Covenant-keeping God who would fulfill His word given through the prophet Jeremiah. Daniel's knowledge came through his study of the ancient Scriptures that had been brought with him into captivity, His people might well have turned to enjoy the riches Babylon offered them. They were now living by sensual experiences rather than by trust in their God, but Daniels faithfulness was rewarded by the incredible revelations and visions God gave to a vessel that was purified and prepared for such a time: (Daniel 10:4-6)
" On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice was like a multitude. "
It has been said by some that this was a Christophany (an appearance of Jesus), but we would suggest that this was an appearance of a mighty angelic being, a messenger from God. Daniel saw in this `man' something of the awesome splendour and majesty of the God who rules in highest heaven, and it is perhaps a lesson for some of our contemporary Christian life. God, for Daniel, was not a cosy intimate `daddy' who gives His people all they crave, but a mighty, powerful, awesome God, the Creator of all things, who holds the world in His hands! We may well live in a different Dispensation to Daniel, where by grace we can call Him `Abba, Father', and we may enjoy an intimacy with Him that Daniel never knew, but this needs to be tempered with reverence and respect.
This revelation was given to Daniel alone, and he says: (Daniel 10:7-9)
" I, Daniel, was the only one to see this vision; the men with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground."
Now came `the great word about a great war' from the mighty angelic messenger: (Daniel 10:11)
" He said: `Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you and stand up, for I have now been sent to you'. "
Why was it that Daniel, out of all the people of Judah caught away into captivity, should be given this privilege? That is God's sovereign choice, that He choses whom He will! But do we not also hear in the following words the reason for that sovereign choice? (Daniel 10:12)
" Then he continued: `Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in repsonse to them'. "
In His sovereign choice God most certainly reached out to Daniel, but equally so He reached out to a person who was responsive to Him, a person who wanted to know about His purpose for His people, as seen in the Scriptures!
As the angelic messenger continues to speak to Daniel, we hear a remarkable statement of how this man `dressed in linen' was delayed for twenty-one days by another spiritual being with the title of `prince of the Persian kingdom'. From such passages of Scripture as this we gain understanding of the existence of a spiritual world where powerful angelic beings hold sway over the affairs of the nations of this world. Paul, in his Letter to the Ephesians, expounds in greater detail the spiritual dominion that exists, but here we are concerned only with what is being revealed in Daniel 10, and we hear clearly the message the heavenly being brings to Daniel: (Daniel 10:14)
" Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come"
Earlier, as Daniel had fasted and prayed, the angel Gabriel `came in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice': (Daniel 9:21-22 in part)
" He instructed me and said to me: `Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding'. "
There follows a succession of breathtaking revelations concerning the future events which unfold in the national life of Israel. Here in chapter 10 the man `dressed in linen' continues to speak to Daniel, explaining, `what will happen to your people in the future'. Those matters revealed to Daniel are concerning the nation of Israel in relation to the end of their captivity in Babylon and future events following their return to their land. Following through into chapter 11 we find the full detail of this revelation set out. It concerns future wars, which are set out in chronological sequence, involving kings and daughters of kings, covering all the biblical lands surrounding Israel through which God would deal with His people in their relationship with Him. But from verse 36 of this chapter the wars centered in the biblical lands then spread over a wider area. Indeed, when they finally occur, they will involve the whole world for we are talking here of `the king who will do as he pleases'!
Clearly, then, within the context of chapter 10 the revelation Daniel receives is in relation to the nation of Israel, and it concerns matters in which Israel will be the centre of a whirlwind of storm and violence - which will last until the end of this age. Returning to chapter 10, however, we read some more remarkable words concerning this mighty, awesome angelic being who had been detained by the prince of Persia: (verse 20)
" Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go the prince of Greece will come. "
Earlier we read that in the first fight against the prince of Persia `the man dressed in linen' was assisted by Michael, one of the chief princes. In verse 21 we hear of him joining Michael again, once he has delivered his message: `For no-one supports me against them except Michael, your prince'. Hidden within those words is a clear message of a mighty spiritual battle being waged against those who would seek to destroy the nation of Israel.
We should now like to give some thought to those two mighty spiritual beings, the prince of Persia and the prince of Greece. So with our understanding that mighty angelic beings rule over the affairs of nations, we will look first at the prince of Persia, in relation to his authority over the people living in that earthly empire. We saw earlier that after being taken into captivity in Babylon there was despair and anguish amongst the Jewish people, and in Psalm 137 we find them singing:
" How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy! "
Those Jewish people remembered, and in their remembrance their hearts strained towards the land of Israel and the God of Israel. Under the iron yoke of the Babylonian kings there was a longing, a yearning, to return to their land! But we have seen that with the rise of Cyrus and his Persian Empire, the mighty Babylon had fallen to him. Cyrus ushered in a more humane rulership over the vanquished people living in his land, and they would now be allowed to return to their own land. Daniel had understood the Scriptures correctly: Seventy years had now passed since the desolation of Jerusalem, and the messenger was sent to Daniel to reveal to him the historical future of his people, the nation of Israel.
But the people of the kingdom of Judah had grown content! They had prospered and grown wealthy; marriages had been arranged and children had been born! Life was good under the rule of Cyrus, and the spiritual ruler,the prince of Persia, resisted the messenger sent in response to Daniel's great intercessory prayer for his people, that they might return to the land of Israel and to the city of Jerusalem. This spiritual ruler had the people of Judah locked up in a captivity as real as the oppressive yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, but this time their captivity was one of contentment, peace, wealth and prosperity! Their senses were satisfied . . their every need met . . their future was certain under the benign, humane rulership of the prince of Persia, and he resisted `the man dressed in linen', to the point where Michael, the prince of Israel, came to his aid to enable him to reveal his message to Daniel. Once this was delivered, `the man dressed in linen' announced that he must return to the spiritual battle against the prince of Persia so that the people of Israel might be released. But behind this prince another spiritual power was coming, the prince of Greece, to wage war against the `enslaved' people of Judah. The `man dressed in linen' knew that the coming battle would be intense, and we read in the opening verse of the next chapter:
(Daniel 11:1)
" And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him (that is, Michael, prince of the people of Israel). "
What, then, was this powerful spiritual threat that was to follow on from the control exercised by the prince of Persia?
To understand this we need to look at the influence that the Greek Empire following the Persian Empire had, and still has, over the minds and lives of men who have been caught in the net of wealth and prosperity, having their every physical and emotional need met. But now would come the enslavement of their minds, for under the Greek influence man rose to his full height of physical, mental and sensual perfection. A casual walk through any Western museum will reveal the usual collection of statues of great physical beauty - the human form in classical perfection - and the libraries of the world are filled with Greek literature and the philosophies of Socrates and Plato, with Greek dramas still remaining at the centre of the world's classical stages.
In that culture God was removed from daily experience and became the `gods' of myth and legend, far removed from human affairs. Under Greek culture and its imperialist ambitions the cult of humanism was taken to the far corners of the known world, and since then it has become one of the main corner-stones of Western culture To this day it works its deadly poison in the lands peopled by those who enjoy the wealth and prosperity denied to many other parts of the world. Together with Michael, `the man dressed in linen' understood the deadly peril that faced the people of Judah, who had become enslaved by wealth and prosperity under the benign reign of Cyrus. But a message was brought to Daniel from God concerning His intention for His beloved people Israel! This would outwork itself over the coming centuries in a continuous struggle against ruthless kings and rulers who would seek to stop the purposes of God from coming to pass in the land of Israel. That battle will continue until the King of Israel returns to rule over His people in the land of Israel!
We would now move on to more contemporary times, and in doing so we shall seek to apply the principle seen in Daniel Chapter 10 to God's redeemed people in this Dispensation of Grace. Although the message which `the man dressed in linen' came to deliver in response to Daniel's great intercessory prayer was contextually for the people of Israel in captivity in Babylon, the outworking of that message concerned a later date - part of which is now history, part of which must still take place. Therefore within the context of that message there is a Scriptural principle to be applied today for God's redeemed people, the Church, as well as for the nation of Israel.
The Church of the Firstborn (and here we are primarily concerned with the Church in the West) is called to outwork its natural life as `stangers and pilgrims' in a world to which it does not belong, for its people have indeed been redeemed and are now citizens of the Kingdom of God. The `empire' in which the Western Church is called to outwork its natural life has been formed and shaped over the long centuries by the `kings' who have ruled over it. This `empire' in the West is generally called a Judaeo-Christian culture, but history reveals that this Western `empire' is no more than a convergence, a mixing, of religious Judaism and Greek philosophy, and more correctly it should be called a Judaeo-Greco civilization (or, for the purposes of this study, a Judaeo-Greco `empire'). The Christianised part of this culture has come from religious Judaism, which together with Greek philosophy has developed into the strong cult of `human potential'. And although we are confining our thinking to the Western `empire', it is worth noting that by its very nature as an imperial culture, its influence must move from West to East. Indeed, already it can be seen to be pervading all the cultures of the world. But coming back to the `heart of the empire' in the West, we will now apply the principle of Daniel Chapter 10 to our contemporary society.
Clearly we can identify two spiritual forces at work in the affairs of this Western `empire', and for many centuries the spiritual power which has gained dominance is religious Judaism - from which has sprung our concept of Christianity. It has formed the bedrock (the main cornerstone) of Western culture, to the point where Christianity is synomomous with Western civilization, and into that `empire' over the centuries have been born the people of the Church of the Firstborn. But as generation has followed generation Christians have settled into this culture, accepting the security of the wealth and prosperity this culture has brought, without realising that they are in a captivity as real as that in which the people of Judah found themselves in Babylon! Under the benign and humane `rulership' of the spiritual powers the people of God have settled in a `foreign land' - and they have enjoyed it to the full. But we would suggest that there have been countless moves of the Holy Spirit, who has come with His message in response to the intercessory prayers of many unknown `Daniels', those who have known from the Scriptures that the Church of the Firstborn is destined to be a pure and spotless Bride, and that she cannot settle in a foreign land.
Beyond this spiritual power, which has kept, and is still keeping the people of God in bondage, there is yet another spiritual power. This one could most certainly be given the title of `prince of Greece', and its deadly influence and control over the lives of the people of the Western `empire' can be clearly seen. The spiritual power of `the prince of Persia', with its benign, humane influence, is clearly on the wane in Western culture. The result of this can be seen in the growing violence and disregard for life within society, and in the corruption in civil and commercial life with its dismissal of `the God of Israel' as being irrelevant in modern-day society. Now there is growing in dominance over the people of the Western `empire' a far more deadly spiritual power!
The way for this `prince of Greece' was prepared by such men as we mentioned in our earlier comments. Men like Nietzsche, Marx, Feurback amd Comte knew what they were doing as they released thdir virulent poison into the mainstream of the Judaeo-Greco world. They were preparing the way for the religion of Humanism to replace the religion of Christianity. We saw earlier that these men were not atheists but anti-theists - they were releasing a force that would emerge as an alternative to God. For a Church which was very content in the `land of captivity', and which was being kept there by a ruling `prince of Persia', a new and deadly power was being unleashed through the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and this is clearly seen in the work of the great humanists that were spawned in the 19th century out of the Enlightenment.
Scripturally, this has led the Church in the West (and remember its influence is spreading from the West to the East) into the Laodecean Age of the Church where Jesus is seen to be standing outside the Church and knocking to be let in! We see it in practical terms in the denial of the final authority of Scripture. We see it in the mass hysteria of the followers of the workers of miracles. We see it in the denial of the physical resurrection of Jesus. We see it in the need for continual `blessings' and the meeting of the needs of believers. We see it in the rise of so many itinerant ministries - a ministry to the Church; a need to express oneself; a searching after individual needs and blessings. This leads to a breakdown of church meetings and lawful assemblies under the One Head. But we see it more as a rebellious spirit, for its roots lie in `the expression of self' - and this is the hallmark of Humanism, which leads to anti-theism!
But to return to Daniel Chapter 10: The `man dressed in linen' came with `a great word of a great war', a revelation from God concerning His people Israel. As we have said, the following chapter reveals the wars which would follow, the wars which were used, and will in the future be used to bring His people back into a relationship with Him in order that He might outwork His purposes through them. If there is indeed a principle in the message Daniel received from God, we too need to take it very seriously for what lies ahead of the Church. One noted writer has posed the question: `Are we maybe witnesses to the disintegration of a culture and moral order two thousand years in the making?'. If that is so, then truly the wars described in Daniel Chapter 11 could well be the instrument for that final disintegration! But we also need to remember that such wars are allowed by God in order to bring His people back into the relationship with Him that alone can bring them the satisfaction they need - and the `disintegration of a culture and moral order' which keeps His people in captivity and bondage is a small price to pay in the light of eternity!
The revelation of `the man dressed in linen' finally leads to the emergence of the antichrist, or as the messenger describes him, `the king who will do as he pleases'. The ultimate purpose of `the prince of Greece' is to bring about the acceptance of the one `who will exhalt himself' above God, the one who is an alternative to God, who will be responsible for unleashing untold horror upon a world which is under the continuing influence of the princes of Persia and Greece.
In that world there are two peoples of God, the Church and the nation of Israel, and both have come under the deadly influence of these dark spiritual powers. But if we are to take the message of Daniel Chapter 10 seriously, God has His `Daniels' who also `understand from the Scriptures, according to the Word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem will last seventy years. So I turned to the LORD God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed'.
In the short time left before the Lord returns there will be many `Daniels', who will be called and enabled by God to understand the times. They will know from the Scriptures that the Church is called to be a pure, spotless virgin Bride, ready to be called by the King, knowing that her captivity will soon be over. But we also need to keep firmly in mind that we have a greater One than Daniel, and His intercessory prayer is always heard by His Father: (John 17:15-19)
" My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth. As You have sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify Myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. "
He who testifies to these
things says:
` Yes, I am coming soon'.
Amen! Come Lord Jesus
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
WINDS OF CHANGE
` The king will do as he pleases '
It would seem to be a clear Scriptural principle that whenever God's Covenanted people become too settled in a land where He has placed them, for reasons known only to Himself He then raises up great historical figures and works through the mighty political and social upheavals which they cause during their time on the world stage. These historical convulsions usually cause a wave of Messianic fervour to rise among the people of God, and certainly the history of the Jewish people is full of such movements and subsequent dashed hopes. One such time is recorded in Daniel Chapter 11 where we see recorded the revelation brought to Daniel concerning, `what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come'.
This revelation is fully detailed in chapter 11 of the Book of Daniel, and Bible scholars long ago identified and named the historical figures that were used by God to bring His people into their rightful position in the land where He brought them back. Certainly the historical figure of Antiochus Epiphanes can be seen in this chapter, and his wars waged against Egypt are well documented facts of history. But in the path of his armies lay the nation of Israel, and we read of the horror he wrought against the land God had chosen for His people: (Daniel 11:29-30)
" At that 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. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the Holy Covenant. He will return and show favour to those who forsake the Holy Covenant. "
You will need to turn to the Apocrypha to read the full details of these historical events. The Second Book of Maccabees records the battles that raged in the land of Israel under the direction of the Maccabee family. They led a revolt against the Hellenizing of the people of the Holy Covenant, and their initial resistance caused an outpouring of Messianic fervour, for they thought they could see the Kingdom of God being formed in their time. As we have moved into the year 2000 AD we see all around us wars and rumours of wars, famines and disease, brother turning against brother, and the nation of Israel negotiating peace with their sworn enemies, who have declared a holy Jihad against them, and the words of Jesus to His disciples in Matthew and Luke are on the minds of many Christians. Once again we see Messianic fervour appearing in both the nation of Israel and within the Church, and we need to heed the words of Jesus: `All these things are the beginnings of birth pains'.
In our earlier study on Daniel Chapter 10 we made the comment that, living as we do in a volatile, fast-moving society, Christians tend to treat the prophetic word in much the same way as they live their lives - almost to the point of demanding an instant fulfillment of the `latest word from the Lord'. But at such a time as this we need to reflect on the Scriptural principle seen in the Book of Daniel. Those revelations from God came to a man who faithfully waited upon God, a man, who through his diligent searching of Scripture saw that the time of Israel's desolation was nearly at an end, and this caused him to turn to God in prayer and supplication. It was to such a man as Daniel - who had spent most of his life in captivity, who had waited quietly and prayerfully - that those dramatic revelations were given. They were not announced in a blaze of glory. There were no colourful heralds with a fanfare. There were not even the dramatic demonstrations that Ezekiel experienced. These revelations came to a man who had waited a lifetime, trusting in the faithfulness of His God to deliver His people from captivity.
We would suggest that at a time such as this the Church too needs its `Daniels', those whose vision embraces a wider view, a broader horizon than that currently being projected in the Church today which, with its `short-termism', usually sees only the pollution that has already sprung up, rather than seeing its ongoing journey and its ultimate objective. This `river of pollution' that has been running through the Western nations can be Scripturally traced back to Babylon, but as it has always run underground (and only occasionally has it sprung up and appeared as historical catastrophies) it has seldom been seen as an ongoing flow towards a definite goal. Too easily we look at the historical figures that emerged during those times and make, at very best, heroes of them. But so often we have failed to see that they have been drinking from the
`polluted wells' of Humanism, and even without thinking we have accepted this into our cultural heritage. Certainly, in the past one hundred years or so of our Western culture, these figures have been seen not only drinking the polluted water, but they have been pouring it into their already contaminated society, giving strength to the ongoing `river'. They may seem to us now dim and distant figures, remembered perhaps only along the dusty academic corridors of learning, but they released a flood of Humanism - which even now is producing heady water.
The Church, recently awakening from its slumbers, now speaks openly about the dangers of the New Age Movement - which is but one draught from the well beneath which the `river of Babylon' continues on its way, well hidden from sight. Biblical scholars may well remember the outrageous remarks of Nietzsche, who declared that `God is dead', but who among us can remember the well-thought out philosophical work of another of his kind who was around at the same time. His name, Auguste Comte. These men were not mad, or academic oddities whose works could be read as political science and then put back on the shelf. These men had drunk deeply at the well of Humanism and released its deadly water into Western culture, which by its very nature always reaches out geographically to the East, thereby spreading its message over the entire world.
In the 19th century Auguste Comte called into political life a body of men who were `free from all temporal ambition (in order) to inspire a wise policy everywhere'. He promised his disciples universal mastery, telling them:
" Seize hold of the world of society, for it belongs to you, not according to any law, but because of a manifest destiny resting upon your exclusive capacity to direct it properly, either as speculative counsellors or as active commanders. "
Comte's Positivist doctrine would be `for a generation at least, the religion of the leaders, before becoming that of the subjects'. Nothing could be done unless a proper nucleus of true Sociocrats was formed, for `the new system must seek to lay hands on power'.
We may call this the rantings of a 19th century intellectual, but from Comte came the Sociocrats, who today dominate our social services. Do we not hear his `voice' again in the `Council of Wise Men' of today; in the G8 Finance Meetings; in the `Council of Europe'? Do we not hear his `voice' speaking through the unelected men of international status on their world-wide missions of Peace - men `free from temporal ambition (inspiring) a wise policy everywhere'? The river of Babylon runs on! The wells the `prince of Greece' digs are deep, and the waters drunk from them are manifesting in our Western society at an alarming rate. But just in case these thoughts are dismissed as `alarmist', we need to remember that Karl Marx was steeped in the Humanist principles of men such as Auguste Comte, and the waters from which Karl Marx drank turned into the flood of Communism that almost destroyed world structures. It was the flood of Humanism that flowed from the pens of these 19th century philosophers that began to corrode the structures of Western culture, which once it has finally run its full course will reveal `the king (who) will do as he pleases'.
The remainder of Daniel Chapter 11 needs no further exposition. Its meaning is self-explanatory to any Bible student, for the revelation which `the man dressed in linen' gave to Daniel refers to the emergence of the Son of Perdition, the `man of lawlessness', to whom Paul refers in his Letter to the Thessalonians. The narrative of Daniel 11:36-45 sets out in greater detail the wars of the Tribulation period, particularly as they affect the nation of Israel and the immediate surrounding nations.
The purpose of these notes is to trace the relentless poison which has spread from the waters of Humanism, which is threatening to engulf not only the nation of Israel but also the other Covenanted people of God, the Church of the Firstborn. And if this is indeed the time when the man of lawlessness is about to be revealed, we need to heed the warnings given in Daniel chapter 7. Concerning this time, Daniel said: (Daniel 7:19)
" Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and the most terrifying with its iron teeth and its bronze claws - the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. "
As we draw out the contemporary outworking of what Daniel saw, we need to keep in mind that Scripture also talks of another person who will appear on the world scene at this time: (Revelation 13:11-12)
" Then I saw another beast coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast. "
Here we have another temporal power working to bring the whole world under the authority of `the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot what was left'. Bible scholars identify this second authority as the False Prophet, and Western history has demonstrated the uneasy alliance between state and religion over the long years, each one seeking to gain authority over the other. If these thoughts have any basis of truth, we would expect to find that in the last great flood of Humanism these two streams will flow together to their ultimate end. And even a cursory reading of the works of the great Humanist philosophers we have mentioned will reveal that religion was very much in the forefront of their thoughts. Indeed, they recognised the need of people for religion - until the `old system' had run into the `new system' and the true religion of Humanism would be revealed. The declaration of Nietzsche that `God is dead' was merely an expression of that understanding. As we said in an earlier study, these men were anti-theist rather than atheist - they propounded an alternative to God, now fully revealed as god in Man! And so Humanity would come into its full perfection as `god'. It is therefore reasonable to say that as we trace the path of water from the wells of Humanism we shall see its pollution entering the Christianised religous system, which `will exercise all the authority of the first beast' before it is swallowed up by the perfect religion of Humanism.
As we stay within the context of Daniel Chapter 11 we need to remember that Israel, the people of God, were well settled into their life in captivity. They were in danger of total assimilation through the onslaught of `the prince of Greece', and they had to be continually shaken out of their complacency by a continuous succession of wars! But even for those who returned to the land, the Scriptures reveal the same upheaval and the sound of marching armies across the physical land of Israel. It is true to say that the Western nations have been culturally formed through a Christianising process over the past two thousand years, and a Christianised form of religion has produced the bedrock upon which the traditions and laws of the West have been founded. To use a harvest analogy: The continuous fruit of Humanism that has been produced by such a process has, as it returned to the ground, released its nourishment into the Western cultures so that `the secular and the sacral' (the twin pillars of Western cultures) are barely distinquishable from each other.
Within Western culture God has called and redeemed His people, the Church. They, however, are enjoying its way of life and they fail to see that it leads to a spiritual captivity as real as that experienced by the southern kingdom of Judah in the land of Babylon. But what is rarely recognised is that `the prince of Greece' is also firmly established in the lives of the redeemed people of God who are dwelling under the influence of the benign and humane `empire' of the West, and to a great extent they too have become assimilated into its life and culture. The poison in the waters released from the wells of Humanism over the past century has been steadily eroding the Western culture which is based on the twin pillars of the secular and the sacral - to the point where in our contemporary society the Church is becoming thoroughly secularised by its assimilation into the life and culture of society.
It was the belief of the 19th century Humanists that the Christianised form of religion would give way to the Humanist form of religion - and to that end they worked unceasingly. The object was to remove God and replace Him with perfect Man. It resulted in cultural suicide, for as men such as Nietzsche were known to have said: `If we replace God with nothing higher than Man, we are doomed'. It has been this continuous onslaught of war on the minds of the sacral society, influenced by `the prince of Greece', that has so thoroughly secularised Western society. By breaking down the bedrock of its unique Christianised religion, Western culture has indeed been led into a continuous series of `wars' of enormous consequences, and the people of the Western nations sense a break-up of their social structures as new structures are offered under the banner of a religion of Humanism and a culture of despair. This will lead to a nihilistic vortex, which will eventually tear through Western culture exactly as those 19th century philosophers propounded. Out of this anarchy will arise a society based upon a new foundation of Humanism, a society with its values formed by man for man, living for the moment of their pleasures and ambition!
Turning aside for a moment from the secular society, we see that within the nations there is also the Church - which for the purpose of these notes we have called `the sacral society' - whose people's lives are centered on Christianised religion. But this `society' too has to be thoroughly secularised if it is to merge into the scenario seen in Revelation 13. As its secularisation becomes complete it too will have a nihilistic vortex tearing through its traditions and life. Up to the 7th century there was one `seamless garment' of sacral society, the Universal Church. Its first schism came in 869 AD when the Patriarch of Constantinople was ex-communicated for his refusal to agree to the Roman Pope's claim to be head of all Christendom. This split the Church into East and West.
The next monumental schism came when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the door of Wittenburg cathedral in 1517. From that date onwards the `seamless garment' of Christendom has undergone a continuous process of schisms, and cleavages within those schisms, right up to this present time. And while we are not supporting a return to a Universal Church under a supreme Pontiff centered in Rome, it should be noted that just as many subversive activities have taken place in this sacral society of Christendom as have taken place in the secular society in which it lives. The object remains the same: To produce a nihilistic vortex which will destroy authority, out of which will emerge a purged Christianised authority which will be able to exercise a check on the excesses of an increasingly authoritarian secular society, such as was last seen in the Holy Roman Empire.
Historically what followed the last great schism, which came about through Martin Luther, was a powerful counter-reformation, led principally through the work of Ignatius Loyola and his Society of Jesuits, and the Inquisition. Their aim was to restore the authority of the sacral society to the supreme Pontiff of all Christendom, centered in Rome. But what this also did was to create the potential for the deadly poison from the wells of Humanism to be released into the Jesuit system, for Loyola called into its spiritual body `a body of men . . . free from all temporal ambitions (in order) to inspire a wise policy'! In Loyola's Society of Jesus we hear echos of Auguste Comte's call for disciples of his new religious order of Humanism - calling into being a powerful elite group who would `seize hold of the world of society and obtain universal mastery'
All it needed was the secularisation of that society, leaving a nihilistic vortex to tear through that major part of the sacral society which was living out its life within the western nation. That this has happened is an acknowledged fact of history, for by the close of the 16th century, under what has been called `the brilliant and brutal leadership of the Jesuits' much of what had been lost through the Reformation had been regained. To bring it into our contemporary period, it is also an historical fact that from the middle of the 20th century there has been a major `Reformation Movement' within the Roman Catholic Church itself, with hundreds of thousands leaving the Catholic system and `crossing the floor' into mainstream Pentecostal churches all over the world. An almost total rebellion has also taken place within Loyola's Society of Jesus. That, too, is a fact of history.
All of this has led to considerable heart searching and purging within the ranks of the Catholic system, and this has resulted in a new `counter Reformation' as powerful as the one seen in the 16th century. The Second Vatican Council was the pivotal point of change, and a new `brilliant and brutal leadership' leadership will restore the authority and power of the Catholic system as surely as did Ignatius Loyola's Jesuits. This `counter reformation' will undoubtably recover much of what has been lost to its system, but this knowledge needs to be placed within the understanding that this system of sacral society has been thoroughly secularised, and as the Catholic Church regains its power and authority through this `counter Reformation', so, too, will the poison from the wells of Humanism be manifest - much as it has done throughout past history, for `the beast coming out of the earth' of Revelation 13, with all the authority of the first beast, is the one `who causes the earth and its inhabitants to worship the first beast'.
In our thinking concerning this sacral society we have concentrated on the Roman Catholic system. However, we believe we need to state here that this is not a deliberate attack on Roman Catholicism by Protestant fundamentalists, for there are probably as many true believers within the Catholic system as there are within the mainstream Protestant churches. But there is no doubt that according to Scripture a religious system will emerge which will serve the Antichrist, and there is no other Chtistianised system so thoroughly prepared for that role as the Roman Catholic Church. Its authoritarian hierarchical system, which is centered in Western capitalism, yet with a geo-religious outlook and perspective, is by its very nature a `catholic' system which has to reach out from West to East in order to encompass the whole world in its embrace. No other Christianised system would be appropriate for `the king who does as he pleases' as he emerges from the aftermath of the nihilistic vortex which will pass through Western capitalism through the religion of Humanism.
But if we have spiritual eyes to see, we can also see the religious secularisation which is spreading through many other parts of the sacral society which broke off from Rome. Because of the destructive work of Humanism we also see the emergence of groups equivalent to Loyola's Society of Jesuits, and they seek to call together groups of disciples who, `free from all temporal ambitions (are called in order to) inspire wise policy everywhere'. All kinds of elitist groups are being trained to `assist' the local churches to `support' their elders. The larger groups are more easily identified: they produce `covering' for a variety of churches, often of different traditions, training up promising disciples before releasing them back to `support' their elders. But whatever groups are forming as an `elite to assist' body of men, there
will always be the danger of a lesser form of Loyola's ambitions (to prepare disciples for a `counter Reformation' to bring all things to a head).
As we now bring together the twin pillars of Western society, the secular and the sacral, we shall see an emerging pattern of both societies being rent assunder in their `social fabric' as the traditions and cultural life are destroyed by increasing `wars' by `the prince of Greece'. The destruction of a stable secular society, built largely on the pillars of Christianised principles, and the secularisation of the religious system by replacing God with human effort, will lead to the despair of the people as they see their world disintegrating in all its familiar aspects. Both parts of society will then be in a position to accept strong authority in order to regain what has been lost, and both parts of society will also have in place groups of disciples who will give support to strong authoritarian policies. A society bewildered and concerned will be ready to accept `the king (who) will do as he pleases', and will readily accept the words of the one who `exercises all the authority of the first beast on his behalf and make the inhabitants worship the first beast'.
If these thoughts are correct, we should expect to see emerging in both parts (that is, secular and sacral) of our Western civilisation a strong authoritarianism. State and Church will once again join to produce the most powerful control of people that is allowed in the world, and the object will be to bring all men to worship the Antichrist. Surely it is time for all true disciples of Jesus to wake from their slumbers and see the captivity into which they are being led. The assimilation of the sacral society into Babylon is nearing completion, and the secularisation of the Church is being brought to fulfillment. Surely it is time to take the journey back to `Jerusalem' to help today's Nehemiahs to rebuild its walls.
The warnings of Scripture are clear! The warning signs of daily life confirm Scripture! The Holy Spirit is at work and will bring His work to completion! A Bride fit for a King will be seen in an ever-increasingly dark world! As we watch and wait we need to heed the words of Paul: (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 in part)
" Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed . . . . "
He is coming, and He is coming for a Bride made ready! Hold fast until He comes . . . for He is coming soon!
