DANIEL - SERIES NR 10
Daniel 11-12: The Man-in-linen's oath
Everything we said about Daniel chapter 10 last Sunday, is valid as introduction to this message, because chapters 10-12 form a unit.
In chapter 10, the Lord Jesus himself appeared to Daniel (before His incarnation!) in a vision as a Man-clothed-in-linen, to prepare Daniel spiritually for what He was going to impart to him. It is as if the Lord was putting a DVD - containing a description of the future - into a player, pushed the "pause" button to first prepare Daniel, and then pushed the "play" button for the vision in chapter 11.
He "fast forwards" the DVD for the first 20 verses of chapter 11, because in those verses He literally rushes through the 400 years which were to follow the Exile. A quick outline of the events to take place concerning the country Palestine for the first 400 years after the Exile. Then - from verse 21 - He changes to "play" the DVD and zooms in with detailed information on one specific Syrian king, Antiochus Epiphanes, who was to affect God's nation in a very negative way - an antichrist-figure in the OT.
This is the first opening remark.
Second remark: In a nutshell, what is the massive amount of information which we read in chapters 11-12 about (briefly, because previous chapters - like chapter 8 - have already explained it):
With breathtaking accuracy, the Lord is giving Daniel a bird's eye view of the future, and the events which were to take place in the world around Palestine concerning His nation's wellbeing and woes.
The Persian empire would come to a fall, after which a mighty ruler would arise - Alexander the Great of the Greek empire. After his death, the Greek empire would be divided into 4 parts, and each part handed over to one of Alexander's generals. The four divisions would eventually become two: North (Syria) and south (Egypt). They would be at war for 150 years, with the Jews and Palestine squashed between them like the filling in a sandwich. You can look at it on a map: The country Israel is sqeezed into the middle between Egypt and Syria. Kings would quickly come and go. All this is summarized in 11:1-20.
From verse 21: Focus is on one of the Syrian kings - Antiochus Epiphanes. The "little horn" of chapter 8.
He was not such a prominent figure in world history, but he was prominent with reference to the nation Israel, because he occupied Palestine and cruelly oppressed the Jews and desecrated the temple (175-163 BC).
Antiochus was one of the great forerunners of the final antichrist who will appear on the world-scene just before Jesus' second coming. It is important to take note in 11:21-45, of what Antiochus would going get up to, because it throws light on what the final antichrist will be/do. What Antiochus did, Antichrist will surpass in extreme. He would murder believers, burn, capture, plunder (11:33). He would magnify himself above God (11:36). We looked at this in our study of Daniel 8 when we studied the "little horn".
Third remark: Something about how OT-prophecy works. If one does not understand this, one will have some difficulty understanding Daniel 11-12.
OT prophecy often has double fulfillments. The OT prophet looked ahead and saw an event/figure placed in the near future, but in/through that, the prophet also saw something in far future which had to do with Jesus' first or second coming. Certain things which the prophet said about the first matter, surpass/transcend it, refering to something or someone who is still waiting further into the future.
For example, in Daniel 11 he talks about Antiochus Epiphanes, then the next moment he is saying things which exceeds Antiochus, refering to the final antichrist just before Jesus' second coming! Yes, Daniel saw Antiochus Epiphanes (400 years ahead), but in/through Antiochus, Daniel saw the final antichrist and final end times of desolation and persecution, and when the dead would be raised. The dead was not raised at the time of Antiochus. It is to happen at Jesus' second coming. But the prophetic eye sees the one-in-the-other. Thus, double fulfillment!
Fourth remark: We must clearly take note of how astonishing the Bible/prophetic Word is. Remember that Daniel 11-12 is history written long ahead of time! Long before anything happened, the Lord told Daniel about it in great detail-accuracy. This should reinforce our trust in the Word of God. All we can say is: The content of the Bible truly originated from a superhuman, supernatural source!
On top of that, Daniel 11-12 confirm how world events and the future rest in God's hand. In the same way that the history of chapter 11 was fulfilled in detail, that which is waiting for us in the future - for example the resurrection of the dead - will be fulfilled in detail! The prophetic word is a rock-solid foundation! The complete Christian Faith is firmly anchored to the rock of God's perfectly reliable prophetic Word! Halleluja!
That ends our opening remarks.
Now, the question is: From this extremely full passage of Daniel 11-12, what could be the heartbeat/essence of it all? Here are recorded a lot of wonderful truths, but what is the gist of it all, the main message?
The essence is 12:5-7, where the Man-in-linen (Christ before His incarnation) is standing with both hands raised towards heaven, swearing an oath over your and my future!
This is the only place in the Bible where the Lord himself, from behind the scenes, is saying something definite about the future of His children on this planet. It is something we have such a need of, because how often don't we wish that we can see behind the scenes, to see behind this visible life and to hear what the LORD has to say about everything. Because we sometimes wonder where it all is heading. What does the future hold for the children of God? Are we moving towards a Golden Age? Nowhere in the Word are the Lord's people promised that it is going to be easy. See John 16:33.
Scripture teaches: As the personal return of our Lord Jesus approaches, planet earth will be put into a wringer by the Lord. Great Oppression. Antichrist. These things will deeply affect the believers. When the world enters the crush, the believers will not be exempted. We are already experiencing a lot of these things. There are powers at work wanting to throttle the last grain of Christ out of us. There is an attack on our close connection to the revealed Truth/Christ.
The distressing question is this: where are we headed? Are there children of the Lord, who want to live true to the Word, who will perhaps not make it? Are there only a handful of Jesus' faithful followers going to remain?
Daniel 12 is a wonderful chapter in the Bible. It speaks so clearly about the future of the Lord's people. It reveals to us that there are hard times waiting for believers. A man will come who will be a total antichrist. There are still a lot of struggles waiting for the church.
But, the anti-christian powers will not have the last say. They have a predetermined period of time at their disposal which God allows them. Everyone whose name is written in the Book of Life, will survive. Whoever has already died will be raised. There will be a resurrection from the dead. The faithful believers will shine like stars. A fantastic future is awaiting the true believers who were faithful to Christ until the end.
But when will all this happen? How long will it be? That is what the two angels are asking. The two on the banks of the river. When will there be deliverance for the believers? That was when the Man-in-linen swore the oath. Actually a double oath. He raised both His hands. One usually raises only one hand when required to swear an oath. Here: Double oath/guarantee.
This man clothed in linen is Christ Himself who sees the need to swear a double oath to His children that in the end, all will be well. He did not need to swear to someone higher than Himself (the way we do). No, He is swearing by Himself, according to Hebrews 6. He swore an oath because we weak humans need it so much. This is a secure anchor {He knows} which we desperately need. This is the secure anchor to which we can hold onto - that the antichristian powers will not have the last say. This double vow of the Man-in-linen is a rock-like guarantee. It is a rock steady anchored word of promise which the Man-in-linen swore for all believers through the ages - not only for Israel.
What will happen to us if we should remain ignorant of this oath which the Lord swore? Well, we will stare ourselves blind against all the things we see and experience around us, is that not so? From what we see and experience around us, we see so little of Christ who is reigning. Rather looks as if satan is reigning. Feels as if there are actuallyall kinds of powers who have the say. Very soon it feels as though the Man-in-linen is far away. Out of sight. Very soon the believers' expectation wears off. Becomes dull. Becomes worldly. Just listen how believers are talking about everyday matters: talks just like the unbelievers.
When we do not have knowledge of the oath which the Man clothed in linen swore, we look at world-powers the same way the unbelieving, godless people do! It happens so easily, because remember - the Man-in-linen is standing out of our sight with His hands raised to heaven, swearing a double oath which is meant for our ears!! We do not see Him on TV. The internet will say nothing about Him. We must look at the holy Scriptures in faith. We must HEAR and BELIEVE the preaching at worship service.
What is the powerful double oath to which a believer can hold onto?
Well, He does not at all deny that a believer will have struggles. He is not saying that the church will have continuous revival. Indeed, He goes as far as to say that - at the time of the end - the power of the holy people will be broken (verse 7).
BUT: That is not all! God Himself will have the last say! To every struggle the church will experience, there SHALL come an end. It may look/feel as if the possibilities of the church are exhausted. As if the throne of God has been taken over by satan. As if every bit of influence of the Gospel has been wrung out of society. BUT: That is exactly the moment when the LORD will draw the line. The oppression is only a temporary matter. The trial of faith is a temporary matter. The end for the believer will be wonderful. A brilliant future awaits the true child of God - reborn through the Holy Spirit.
That is what the Man-in-linen guarantees to the church - by oath. Our hope is, therefore, not in ourselves. Also not in all our brilliant plans to breathe life into the church again. Our anchor and our hope is contained in the OATH sworn by the Man-in-linen. HE SWORE AN OATH that His true children will triumph. The kingdom of God is never really in danger to disappear or to go under. The time of antichrist is restricted. The oath sworn by the Man-in-linen restricts the antichrist. It keeps him in check.
If we believe this, then it will have an effect on our lives. On our behaviour. On the concrete life of every day. On the way we speak. On the way we think about things. Because, if we are truly church of the Lord, then the oath of the Man-in-linen refers to us. It includes US. WE are a part of God's nation. US, in our unique situation. This oath is given TO US as a firm rock. This is why people who really know the Lord, will stay firmly steadfast under severe oppression (11:32), and there always will be people to lead others to the Lord - in the face of danger (12:3). This is the oath of the Man-in-linen which keeps the children of the Lord standing until the time of the end!
Translated by Marthie Wilson