Dominion, Destruction, and Deliverance

Living for God in Ungodly Times - message 12 - Dominion, Destruction, and Deliverance. As we have noted previously, Daniel 10-12 forms one section of the book and covers one final prophecy. This is the climax of the Book of Daniel. This prophecy breaks history down into 3 sections and gives very specific details about things that will happen in the near future for Daniel and then in the far future for those who are here when Christ returns. The first section of the prophecy, from chapter 11 verses 2-19, gives us specifics about Persia and Greece. The second section of the prophecy, chapter 11 verses 20-34, give us more specific detail about Antichus Epiphanes who came from the Selucid dynasty in the north and tried twice to conquer Egypt. He was repelled both times and after Rome intervened, sending ships from Cyprus, Antiochus went back to Jerusalem, sacked the city, and committed the abomination of desolations, offering a pig on the alter at the Temple and setting up an idol of Zeus in the Temple complex. The third section, chapter 11:36 through 12:4 jumps into the future and gives us a glimpse of the coming final Antichrist (who was foreshadowed by Antiochus) and the final battle of all time, Armageddon. We see the great tribulation and the resurrection of the dead before the final judgment. We are given specific information about the Antichrist, such as his arrogant worship of his own power and the fact that his desires are not normal, but depraved beyond normal sinfulness. The dreadful details of history prove that the nations of this world are but a drop in the bucket before God, but His people, wherever they are on this earth, are the apple of His eye!