{"id":1576,"date":"2022-03-13T19:37:06","date_gmt":"2022-03-14T00:37:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/?p=1576"},"modified":"2023-08-23T13:02:54","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T18:02:54","slug":"book-of-daniel-notes-session-08-from-2021-posted-3-13-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/?p=1576","title":{"rendered":"Book of Daniel Notes – session 08 from 2021 – THIS IS IN PROGRESS FOR 2023 POSTING"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is being posted in late AUGUST 2023 as we are entering a teaching series on the book of Daniel. Much of this is taken from an earlier Daniel teaching in 2021. Bear with me please as I continue on these notes over the next few weeks, updating, tweaking, spell-checking, etc. I did want them available to readers at this time, even prior to their completion….<\/strong><\/p>\n

THESE NOTES WERE ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2021, DURING A 20-WEEK TEACHING OF THE BOOK OF DANIEL. EDITED A BIT: 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n

These notes remain timely and pertain to some additional current communications. I hope and believe they will assist\/inform readers as to how to see what is occurring on earth in these critical days: how to pray, and how to stand strong in our God. He has the plan. It’s His world. Ps 2 – the nations indeed will be raging more and more until His glorious, disruptive, triumphant return.<\/p>\n

Psalm 2<\/strong><\/em>
\n1 Why do the nations rage,<\/em>
\nAnd the people plot a vain thing?<\/em>
\n2 The kings of the earth set themselves,<\/em>
\nAnd the rulers take counsel together,<\/em>
\nAgainst the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,<\/em>
\n3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces<\/em>
\nAnd cast away Their cords from us.”<\/em>
\n4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;<\/em>
\nThe Lord shall hold them in derision.<\/em>
\n5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,<\/em>
\nAnd distress them in His deep displeasure:<\/em>
\n6 “Yet I have set My King<\/em>
\nOn My holy hill of Zion.”<\/em>
\n7 “I will declare the decree:<\/em>
\nThe LORD has said to Me,<\/em>
\nYou are My Son,<\/em>
\nToday I have begotten You.<\/em>
\n8 Ask of Me, and I will give You<\/em>
\nThe nations for Your inheritance,<\/em>
\nAnd the ends of the earth for Your possession.<\/em>
\n9 You shall break them with a rod of iron;<\/em>
\nYou shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.'”<\/em>
\n10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;<\/em>
\nBe instructed, you judges of the earth.<\/em>
\n11 Serve the LORD with fear,<\/em>
\nAnd rejoice with trembling.<\/em>
\n12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,<\/em>
\nAnd you perish in the way,<\/em>
\nWhen His wrath is kindled but a little.<\/em>
\nBlessed are all those who put their trust in Him.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Below are some of my earlier book of Daniel teaching notes, so please pardon some perhaps funky capitalizations, exclamation points, text color changes, etc. They were primarily intended for my own usage while speaking and teaching, and secondarily as follow-along writing for that teaching, which later was published as a podcast.<\/p>\n

NOTES: Daniel Session 08 \u2013 2021 – DANIEL Chapter 2 MOSTLY as it relates and introduces us to Critical Chapter 7<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the 2021 podcast link (and once you are on the www.podbean.com site if you like you can locate, download and\/or listen to the entire series). Podbean also offers a free downloadable app for iOS and Android.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/ew\/pb-3nknb-1086e54<\/a><\/p>\n

Besides the Podbean app or www.podbean.com on your computer, you can also access EZ3728 podcasts on Spotify, Itunes Podcasts and some other platforms. Simply search: EZ3728<\/p>\n

THE 2021 NOTES:
\nThis (2021) was the third time I\u2019ve taught the book of Daniel. I have never encountered more spiritual resistance to my teaching of any book of scripture, ever \u2013 and more so that time \u2013 because, I believe, the timeliness of this revelation can be life-changing in taking us into a place of deeper understanding, and more importantly, deeper resolve to be intimate with the Lord and obedient to His purposes. Our understanding of the things of God, and our increased intimacy with the Lord are two components of our faith that our adversary dreads, and therefore we would do well to anticipate resistance, and not draw back.<\/p>\n

Week Three of THIS series I taught on Daniel Chapter 02 \u2013 Daniel (1.) REVEALING and then (2.) INTERPRETING a troubling dream of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar.<\/p>\n

The DREAM centers around a magnificent yet frightening (Hebrew: \u201cyare\u201d \u2013 \u201cawesome\u201d) statue that Daniel accurately interprets to be a revelation, by God, to the king – about his own empire (Babylon, represented by the golden head) and the empires that will follow afterward.<\/p>\n

As I had been preparing for that Chapter 2 teaching, I managed to get sidetracked and backtracked by some commentary writings, and I presented to my audience what most bible teachers typically offer as being the generally accepted as most accurate interpretation of the legs, feet and toes of the frightening statue.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile and most importantly – that most popular interpretation was and remains CONTRARY to what I have come to believe as being far more accurate. So I not only want to go back and address the statue dream interpretation again, but I know that this teaching, positioned prior to addressing chapter 7 \u2013 will provide for us a clearer view of the entire book of Daniel – as well as a clearer picture of God\u2019s end-of-age revelation that most closely aligns with virtually all scripture throughout the complete word of God.<\/p>\n

That week in 2021 as I prepared for chapter 7 teaching, I went back into my own notes from 2018 and
\n\u2013 I am seeing that the same thing happened to me when I got to chapter 7 in 2018, and at that time I purposely went back to chapter 2 as well. Seriously. I believe these two chapters (chapter 2 and chapter 7) are clearly and most effectively \u2013 and in fact likely intended to be taught together or at very least chapter 2 might want to be reread when students of Daniel get to chapter 7.<\/p>\n

THINK ABOUT IT \u2013 as far as THE PROPHETIC-MESSAGE is involved:
\nChapter 2 is PROPHETIC
\nChapter 3 is Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego and their unwavering test of faith
\nChapter 4 is God dealing with Nebuchadnezzar along his personal journey – seemingly towards his own salvation (at least per scripture – we don’t know how he finished out his life after the chapter 4 testimony). That was the king’s \u201cdivine parking lot\u201d experience and testimony.
\nChapter 5 is about the handwriting on the wall \u2013 the collapse of the kingdom of Babylon, as the Medes-Persians invaded the empire and the first of the Daniel-prophesied (chapter 2) Empire Transitions occurred.
\nChapter 6 is Daniel in the lion\u2019s den \u2013 God rescuing the prophet and convincing the king of the Medes-Persians, re the sovereignty of the God of Israel as well as the divine favor that Daniel walked in.
\nChapter 7 continues the Prophetic Message – functionally presenting itself as the first prophetic message since chapter 2. See the tie-in of chapters 2 and 7?<\/p>\n

I wrote the following in 2018 \u2013 about this very same conundrum (we’ll get to that conundrum in a moment):
\n\u201cIMPORTANT AS WE GET INTO CHAPTER SEVEN \u2013 there\u2019s something we need to circle back to from WEEK ONE (MY TEACHING IN 2018 WERE TWO HOUR SESSIONS \u2013 INFO OVERLOAD) \u201cso that we don\u2019t miss this most critical point of revelation \u2013 it may have gotten cloudy in some of my earlier accounting of commentary by some folks \u2013 AND it will become more and more critical in this study to understand what I believe to be a very accurate point of view regarding WHO and WHICH NATIONS will be leading the charge against God, and Israel, in the final days of this age.\u201d<\/em>
\nI FURTHER WROTE:
\n\u201cA critical comment from David Pawson coordinates with a strong conviction by Joel Richardson (author of the Mideast Beast) \u2013 and something I am at this time very much inclined to agree with – which I further think is CRITICAL to the accurate understanding of what is truly being revealed to us by our great God in these scriptures, and is critical to clarify and understand virtually all eschatological scriptures going forward.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

ALL THAT IS BACKSTORY for the PROPHETIC STORY OF PERFECTLY-COORDINATED CHAPTERS 2 and 7 \u2013 chapters that work in concert to take a praying audience into understanding of the purposes and plans of God. That praying audience would be the saints.<\/p>\n

The Prophetic Conundrum is the popularity and acceptance by a majority of Western-civilization bible teachers and bible students that a revived Roman Empire will play a key role in the final days of the nations raging against the Savior’s people, and then against the Savior Himself. Prophetically that fourth kingdom – presented both in chapter 2 (as feet) and then as a\u00a0 fourth beast (chapter 7 – described as a unique and terrible creature) will clearly play a huge and active role in the times just prior to the return of our Lord. Beast #4 may be off your personal radar right now, but we\u2019ll see that this Beast #4 was clearly on Daniel\u2019s radar, because it is on God’s radar for His people to understand. God is the author of these dreams and visions, and they are purposeful. I do believe the more we all press into the prophetic storyline, the more the entire plan of God will be on our radar, as it should be.<\/p>\n

I’d also like to assure you that knowing all of the critical intel behind the plans of God would be truly great, but there’s much still to be revealed to us – according to the word of God things remain “sealed up” in varying degrees. Meanwhile, our prayers, even with a certain degree of “un-knowing” can still be most effective. Rabbi Paul tells us this when he writes about a Holy Spirit-infused prayer life, when saints have been baptized in the power of God and are praying in their heavenly language. In essence Paul is saying “you might now exactly know how you ought to be praying, word for word, about the situations on earth that will be forthcoming, but God has purposed you to be filled with the Holy Spirit, praying as they prayed in the Upper Room (Acts 2), speaking out things that defy human understanding because what they were praying\/saying was heavenly and was (and will be for us) Spirit-infused and Spirit-led, because with the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the mind of Christ, so that you can pray in alignment with the purposes of heaven”<\/em><\/p>\n

Paul says it this way: Romans 8:26-27<\/em><\/strong>
\n26<\/sup> Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27<\/sup> Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.<\/em><\/p>\n

BEFORE WE GET TO DANIEL – The entirety of the Word points to WAY MORE THAN TEN NATIONS (no matter which nations you might think will be \u201cleading the charge\u201d against Israel and the Jewish people, in the final battle to take place in Jerusalem:
\nZechariah 12:1-3<\/strong><\/em>
\n1 The burden of the word of the LORD against Israel. Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him:<\/em>
\n2 “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.<\/em>
\n3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though<\/em> all nations of the earth are gathered against it.<\/em><\/p>\n

AND:
\nJoel 3:1-2<\/em><\/strong>
\n1 “For behold, in those days and at that time,<\/em>
\nWhen I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem,<\/em>
\n2 I will also gather all nations,<\/em>
\nAnd bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;<\/em>
\nAnd I will enter into judgment with them there<\/em>
\nOn account of My people, My heritage Israel,<\/em>
\nWhom they have scattered among the nations;<\/em>
\nThey have also divided up My land.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Joel Richardson, in The Mideast Beast (first few chapters) presents a solid case against us believing the EVERY SINGLE nation on earth will be fully under the control of the Antichrist. Richardson does not rule out the potential for all nations to be represented in the hatred and dark plans against the people of God, and God Himself, during the final days of this age, but Richardson presents a solid case for us to consider that the Middle-Eastern framework of the bible’s writing style and the employment of specific words in critical sections of eschatological prophecy, appear to differentiate between neighboring nations surrounding Israel and the rest of the “whole earth”. I am leaning to agree with Richardson.<\/p>\n

MEANWHILE – WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL, FOR US, RE: ARAB NATIONS or A REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE leading the charge?
\nANSWER: Everything \u2013 as we keep our eyes on the work happening on earth in these days, and also because we are called to be LEARNING HOW TO READ AND UNDERSTAND the entire word of God. AND HOW TO PRAY.
\nThe Word of God is purposeful in all that it says.<\/p>\n

The spectacular nature of God\u2019s plan is critical for us to understand so that we might pray w knowledge and understanding. And the more we know of God\u2019s plans, the more amazed we will be with the glory of those plans as they unfold, accurately.<\/p>\n

DANIEL is told this at the conclusion of his account \u2013 written to us (1 Peter 1:10-11 assures us the Old Testament prophets were writing for the New Testament saints):
\nDaniel 12:4<\/em><\/strong>
\n4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”<\/em>
\nWe, at this time, have lengthier history to confirm the accuracy of the prophetic word of God, and I believe that ongoing prophetic word, looking forward in regards to upcoming events, will also to continue to be 100% accurate, on our watch.<\/p>\n

BACK TO Daniel 2 – This chapter pertains to what \u201cEMPIRE\u201d is prophetically represented by the statue\u2019s LEGS and FEET, and that gets more critical when we look into the FOURTH BEAST OF CHAPTER SEVEN.
\nLet’s read ONE OR TWO VERSES for our understanding:
\nDaniel 7:7<\/em><\/strong>
\n7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts<\/span> that were before it, and it had ten horns.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nAND THEN: Daniel 7:21-23<\/strong><\/em>
\n21 “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them,<\/em>
\n22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.<\/em>
\n23 “Thus he said:<\/em>
\n‘The fourth beast shall be<\/em>
\nA fourth kingdom on earth,<\/em>
\n(THREE CRITICAL DESCRIPTIVES THAT REQUIRE FULFILLMENT):
\n(a) Which shall be different from all other kingdoms<\/span>,
\n(b) And shall devour the whole earth<\/span>,
\n(c) Trample it and break it in pieces.<\/p>\n

AGAIN IN 2018 \u2013 I HAD WRITTEN:
\n\u201c…I am more inclined than ever to ascribe the MIXED FEET AS DESCRIBING an ISLAMIC\/ARAB CONFEDERATION OF PEOPLES.<\/p>\n

For the most part, the Western Church has been taught, and has accepted without much question the idea that the fourth beast, and the legs and feet of Nebuchadnezzar\u2019s statue, point to a revived Roman Empire. There is a bit of argument to favor a revived Roman Empire. I, like many, accepted that for many years. But I don\u2019t any more. And in understanding this a little more clearly, digging deeper into scripture, and considering what is happening on earth in the past 100 years including right now, inclines me to see things through a different lens, and in fact allows me to focus my prayer and all that I do to be better in line with what I believe God is doing in these times. I appreciate you might be of different opinion re that.<\/p>\n

DANIEL 2 \u2013 after the captive-prophet Daniel successfully revealed the entire kingly dream to Nebuchadnezzar, identifying the king as the head of gold:<\/p>\n

Daniel 2<\/strong><\/em>
\n39 But after you shall arise another kingdom (#2) inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom<\/em> (#3) of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.<\/em>
\n40 And the fourth<\/em> (#4) kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others.<\/em>
\n41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed<\/em> (NOTE: ARAMAIC WORD OF MIXED: \u201cARAB\u201d \u2013 the mixed people group) with ceramic clay.<\/em>
\n42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.<\/em>
\n43 As you saw iron mixed<\/em> (\u201cARAB\u201d) with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.<\/em>
\n44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.<\/em>
\n45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold\u2014the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

DAVID PAWSON \u2013 a respected bible commentator (he went home to be w Jesus in 2021) held to TWO THEORIES RE THE FOURTH KINGDOM \u2013 BTW Pawson was prior to Joel Richardson writing THE MIDEAST BEAST and agreeing w Pawson.<\/p>\n

PAWSON THEORY #1 (most popular in the church world): \u201cAfter that came the empire of Rome, and how symbolic it was: legs marching, trampling, crushing, and Rome marched through the world and extended the empire greater than ever before\u2014such is the meaning\u201d.<\/p>\n

BEFORE WE CONTINUE W PAWSON\u2019S THEORY #2 (RE ANOTHER INTERPRETATION) \u2013 let\u2019s read some history from another commentator \u2013 Geoffrey King \u2013 who believes the two legs DO NOT represent the Roman Empire:
\nGeoffrey King (supporting THEORY #2) question THEORY #1 (revived Rome):
\n\u201c\u2026.in A.D. 364 the Roman Empire split in two. There was the Eastern Empire with its capital in Constantinople and the Western Empire with its capital in Rome\u2026..If you want to make two parts of the Roman Empire to be represented by the two legs, you are in difficulty because the Western Empire lasted only a few hundred years \u2013 (AUG 24, 410 \u2013 the Visigoths sacked Rome). The Eastern Empire lasted until 1453 (\u2013 until it was over-run by the Muslims.) You have to make this image stand on one leg for most of the time!\u201d<\/p>\n

NOTABLE IS THAT ALL OF THE DARK EMPIRES OVERTOOK THE DARK EMPIRE BEFORE IT:<\/p>\n

Page 94 \u2013 \u201cThe Islamic Anti-Christ\u201d \u2013 also by Joel Richardson – addresses 8 Beast empires (the eighth coming out of the seventh) also discussed in Rev 17:9-11.
\nCOMMON FEATURES:
\nAll ruled the Middle East.
\nAll defeated, overcame, and replace their predecessor.
\nAll ruled in Jerusalem.
\nSix (and at the time of John on Patmos during REV) were done, and one \u2013 Rome \u2013 was currently in place)
\n1. Egyptian
\n2. Assyrian
\n3. Babylonian
\n4. Persian
\n5. Greek
\n6. Roman \u2013 clearly A beast empire \u201cis\u201d (per Rev 17) during the days of John and Revelation
\n7. BIG QUESTION: Which \u201cempire\u201d took out the longer lasting Eastern Roman Empire? \u2013 Because THAT Empire, who is #7, will also be the empire from which Empire 8 will emerge.<\/p>\n

History: In 395 A.D. the Roman Empire divided in two. East and West. Eastern became the Byzantine Roman Empire. Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453, and continued until 1909, and in fact it was not until 1923 that the Islamic caliphate was abolished (by a Muslim leader Ataturk, w Western-culture leanings, he determined the Caliphate was \u201cTOO RADICAL\u201d.<\/p>\n

The revival and return of the Caliphate was\/is therefore awaited – it\u2019s clearly having its own birth pains in our season.
\nNotable is that the Ezekiel nation list (chapter 38) \u2013 this is a companion prophecy to an end-time gathering of nations against Israel) focuses on Turkey \u2013 the birthplace of Gentile Christianity (and the season of the Gentiles, and also the centerpiece of the Turkish Ottoman Empire and core to the Islamic Caliphate.<\/p>\n

Page 184 \u2013 RE THE TWO LEGS OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR\u2019S STATUE:
\n\u201cMideast Beast\u201d:
\n\u201c\u2026..this is a perfect description of the global Islamic community, which from its beginnings has been divided between the two sects of Sunni and Sh\u2019a Muslims. It is also a perfect fulfillment of the ancient prophecy declared over Ishmael, the father of the Arab (remember: Aramaic for \u201cmixed\u201d) people, who would forever be in conflict with other men and even his own brothers (Gen 16:12)\u201d<\/p>\n

Genesis 16:12<\/em><\/strong>
\n12 He shall be a wild man;<\/em>
\nHis hand shall be against every man,<\/em>
\nAnd every man’s hand against him.<\/em>
\nAnd he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

AND BACK TO DAVID PAWSON \u2013 THEORY #2:
\nNow what do the feet mean? (first Pawson mentions the possibility of a European alliance \u2013 pointing to a lead-role by a revived Roman Empire and an alliance of nations that for the most have their roots in a ROMANIC CULTURE. But then he (wisely) says this (having written this years ago, before much of what is now occurring throughout the whole world, began it spread):<\/p>\n

Pawson: \u201cBut there is another possibility….<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Rome fell, it fell first in the West, but not in the East until a thousand years after Christ. Who took over from Rome? In the area of the world in which God\u2019s purposes are worked out, the area that covers Babylon and Jerusalem, who took over? The answer is the Muslims took over; the Arab world took over. When you think in that direction, a new thought occurs: could it be that the Arabs descended from Abraham could be those who present the final challenge to the God of Israel? And could it be that we should look for ten nations of Arabs uniting together against God\u2019s people and therefore against God, and presenting the final challenge to the world? An uneasy federation of countries, some of which would be the (LEG# 1) iron of dictatorship and (LEG#2) some the clay of democracy, but joined together in a federation to establish world power \u2013could that be also? That again is human opinion.\u201d (PAWSON WASN\u2019T THAT SURE WHEN HE WROTE THAT, YEARS AGO. I BELIEVE WE CAN BE MORE SURE, NOW)<\/p>\n

The concept of ARAB (Aramaic: \u201cMIXED\u201d) nations (and the religion of Islam being the fourth \u201cKINGDOM\u201d is presented by David Pawson, and that flies in the face of the classical, convenient and questionably Euro-centered WESTERN LENS OF INTERPRETATION that has proclaimed that a REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE will be the fourth \u201cRESISTANT COMPONENT\u201d \u2013 the fourth empire, the fourth beast of further scripture.<\/p>\n

Suggestion: read Joel Richardson\/ I\u2019ve mentioned him before:
\n\u201cISLAMIC ANTICHRIST\u201d \u2013 read pages 80-100. \u201cMIDEAST BEAST\u201d. ALSO: \u201cMYSTERY BABYLON\u201d.<\/p>\n

Richardson says re Nebuchadnezzar\u2019s dream (Mideast Beast, page 65)
\n\u201cThe dream was not intended to reveal the future of America or Europe. Instead the dream was simply showing Nebuchadnezzar those kingdoms that would succeed his own. Let\u2019s briefly review the history of the region\u201d\u2026..(and then he does exactly that).<\/p>\n

Richardson contends (and I agree – and here’s the picture again, for convenience):
\n1. Head of gold \u2013 Babylon (most all agree)
\n2. Chest and arms of silver \u2013 Medes-Persians (most all agree)
\n3. Belly and thighs of Bronze \u2013 Greece (most all agree)
\n4. Legs of iron \u2013 Islamic Caliphate.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

GOOD QUESTION THEN: WHY is there NO ROMAN EMPIRE portrayed in the Nebuchadnezzar dream statue?
\nAccording to Joel Richardson, the Roman Empire for the most part failed to overlay the region of the world dominated by Nebuchadnezzar\u2019s Babylonian rule, while all the others did, AND also the Caliphate state then, in rising up and taking out the eastern Roman Empire, did likewise.<\/p>\n

This map contrasts the position of the Roman Empire (westward, primarily) to the other Empires (Babylon, Mede\/Persian, then Greek that functionally OVERLAY each other in their positioning. That is notable when looking into Daniel 7\u2019s vision and, per this study, considering the elimination of Rome as a prophetic participant nation empire in the plan of God (although it is definitely not out of the question that many more nations, if not even all nations, will be joining together in the final conflict, per scripture).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Page 67-68 Richardson: (the dream)\u2026.\u201dis a Babylon-centered prophecy\u201d.
\n\u201cThere are actually FIVE pieces of the statue:
\n1. HEAD: Gold
\n2. BREAST: Silver
\n3. BELLY: Brass\/Bronze
\n4. LEGS: Iron (Pawson and Richardson \u2013 the historical Caliphate empire)
\n5. FEET: Part Iron, Part Clay (Richardson \u2013 the revived Caliphate empire)<\/p>\n

A PRIMARY ARGUMENT AGAINST ISLAM BEING THE FOURTH EMPIRE OF DANIEL 2, OR BEING THE 4th BEAST OF DANIEL 7, is defeated by HISTORY:
\nDaniel 9:26 -the verse often used to argue in favor of revived Roman empire in last days.
\nThe Arabs who hated the Jews comprised most of the army that attacked and destroyed Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

TACITUS’ ACCOUNT:
\nat the beginning of the first century, Emperor Augustus made a series of sweeping reforms that led to dramatic changes in the ethnic make-up of the Roman armies. After Augustus\u2019s reforms in AD 15, the only portion of the Roman army that continued to consist largely of Italians from Rome proper was the Praetorian Guard, an elite military unit whose job was to specifically guard the emperor and the tents of the generals. The remainder of the army was increasingly composed of anything but Italian soldiers. Instead, they were known as \u201cprovincials,\u201d citizens who lived in the provinces\u2014the outer fringes of the Empire, away from the capital of Rome. The \u201cprovincialization\u201d of the army was true for all of the Roman legions of this time period, but it was most clearly and markedly the case for the Eastern legions that were used to attack Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

“KNOWLEDGE WILL INCREASE” says Daniel.
\nWe now have historical records telling us re TACITUS:<\/p>\n

Publius Cornelius Tacitus was both a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire who wrote extensively concerning the specific period that we are now examining. The surviving portions of his two major works\u2014the Annals and the Histories\u2014have become vital sources of information from this period. Speaking of the Roman attack of Jerusalem, Tacitus detailed the specific legions and the peoples that primarily composed the attacking army: \u201cTitus Caesar \u2026 found in Judaea three legions, the 5th, the 10th, and the 15th \u2026 To these he added the 12th from Syria, and some men belonging to the 18th and 3rd, whom he had withdrawn from Alexandria. This force was accompanied \u2026 by a strong contingent of Arabs, who hated the Jews with the usual hatred of neighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n

JOSEPHUS:
\nLater, Josephus also detailed the specific number of Arab soldiers who joined forces with the invading armies: \u201cMalchus also, the king of Arabia, sent a thousand horsemen, besides five thousand footmen, the greatest part of which were archers; so that the whole army, including the auxiliaries sent by the kings, as well horsemen and footmen, when all were united together, amounted to sixty thousand.\u201d<\/p>\n

TO OUR POINT OF OPINION: CALIPHATE ACTIVITY THIS WEEK IN JULY 2021:
\n(Jay Sekulow emailed this week [2021]):
\nThis heartbreaking situation is really getting out of control. In fact, we just warned the U.N. that if no action is taken, it is turning a blind eye to “genocide.”
\nDefenseless Christians in Nigeria live in constant fear of deadly violence and unthinkable devastation. Christian children aren’t safe going to school.
\nOne Christian teen, Leah Sharibu, was abducted in 2018 by the Islamic militia, Boko Haram, which threatened to murder or enslave her because she refused to renounce her Christian faith. 18-year-old Leah Sharibu just spent her 4th birthday in captivity, and gave birth to a SECOND CHILD of her captors.
\nYOUR BLOOD SHOULD BE BOILING.
\nEnough is enough. We have dramatically expanded our efforts to defend persecuted Christians in Nigeria. In fact, ACLJ Senior Counsel for Global Affairs Mike Pompeo, who placed Nigeria on a U.S. persecution watchlist when he was Secretary of State and credited our work for helping him make that determination, is directly working with us.
\nJordan recently delivered an oral intervention to the U.N. And we also just made our 18th U.N. submission demanding action to save Leah and protect Nigeria’s Christians.
\nPray for Leah’s safe return to her family, as well as for those babies currently in the clutches of evil, and pray for all of Nigeria’s persecuted Christians.
\nBe their voice. Take action with us.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s read just a LITTLE from Ezekiel and then read what Joel Richardson tells us \u2013 which clearly aligns with what David Pawson theorizes re the \u201cARAB\u201d (mixed people) component of the end-times warring army campaign.<\/p>\n

AS I OFTEN SAY: Don\u2019t get stuck on the mysterious name \u201cGOG\u201d \u2013 it appears no place except in scripture, in Ezekiel re end-of-this-age (which we are studying) and then again in Revelation re the end of the 1,000 year millennial reign. BOTH TIMES the terminology is God\u2019s title for the demonic leadership of TWO DIFFERENT rebellions.<\/p>\n

Ezekiel 38:1 – 39:9<\/strong><\/em>
\n1 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,<\/em>
\n2 \u201cSon of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog<\/em> (likely Syria \u2013 there\u2019s purpose in that conclusion), the prince of Rosh<\/em> (Hebrew for \u201chead\u201d so perhaps a leader-title), Meshech, and Tubal (both are in Turkey), and prophesy against him,<\/em>
\n3 and say, \u201cThus says the Lord God: \u2018Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.<\/em>
\n4 I will turn you around<\/em> (so we see Who is instigating things \u2013 it is God and His timing for this conflict and the settlement of all events of rebellion) put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords.<\/em>
\n5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet;<\/em>
\n6 Gomer<\/em> (central Turkey) and all its troops; the house of Togarmah (south eastern Turkey, near Syria) from the far north and all its troops\u2014many people are with you.<\/em><\/p>\n

Do you see a common thread here? Either GEOGRAPHICAL OR SPIRITUAL? Yes to both. These are the nations currently surrounding Israel. These are Muslim nations. These are nations that have chronically and consistently been the enemies of Israel since the beginning.<\/p>\n

7 \u201cPrepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them.<\/em>
\n8 After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely.<\/em>
\n9 You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.\u201d<\/em>
\n10 \u201cThus says the Lord God: \u2018On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan:<\/em>
\n11 You will say, \u201cI will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates\u2019\u2014<\/em>
\n12 to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land.<\/em>
\n(ADDITIONAL NATIONS JOINING THE ASSAULT \u2013 and of course there are even verses that point to most if not EVERY nation coming against Israel in the final battle):
\n13 Sheba<\/em> (Ethiopia), Dedan<\/em> (Saudi Arabia), the merchants of Tarshish<\/em> (Lebanon), and all their young lions will say to you, \u2018Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?\u2019 \u201d \u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Turkey, Persia (Iran), Ethiopia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Shinar (Iraq – mentioned in Zechariah), and then there\u2019s catch-all phrases like \u201cother nations with you\u201d.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile Israel is situated squarely within the growing land mass of Islam.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cTHE ISLAMIC ANTI-CHRIST page 92: Joel Richardson says re the nations of Ezekiel\u2019s prophecy:
\n\u201cThus in the final assessment, five of the eight nations mentioned by Ezekiel occupy modern Turkey and possibly some of the southern Russian regions near the Caucasus Mountains, as well as some of the Turkic nations of central Asia. Obviously, the Lord directed Ezekiel to significantly highlight Turkey\u201d.<\/p>\n

(I\u2019VE BEEN SAYING \u201cKEEP YOUR EYES ON TURKEY\u201d for years)<\/p>\n

OF NOTE TO US IS THAT TURKEY is where the Gentile church was fundamentally birthed \u2013 the seven churches of the book of Revelation are all there. The failure of that church, the backslid nature of that geographic region, inclines itself to a national fulfillment of this warning to every saint:
\nMatthew 12:43-45<\/strong><\/em>
\n43 \u201cWhen an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.<\/em>
\n44 Then he says, \u2018I will return to my house from which I came.\u2019 And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.<\/em>
\n45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

In light of Matt 12:45 you can imagine the dark void that the \u201cwithdrawal\u201d of Christianity has created within the region of Turkey.
\nBACK TO RICHARDSON:
\n\u201cThe other three nations mentioned \u2013 Libya, Sudan, and Iran \u2013 together with Turkey form a perfect circle around Israel finds herself surrounded on all four sides by the Islamic nations of the Antichrist\u2019s empire\u201d.<\/p>\n

NOW BACK TO EZEKIEL 38:<\/strong><\/em>
\n16 You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.\u201d<\/em>
\n17 Thus says the Lord God: \u201cAre you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?<\/em><\/p>\n

18 \u201cAnd it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,\u201d says the Lord God, \u201cthat My fury will show in My face.<\/em>
\n19 For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: \u2018Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel,<\/em><\/p>\n

21 I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,\u201d says the Lord God. \u201cEvery man’s sword will be against his brother.<\/em>
\n22 And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed (re Zech 12-14); I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.<\/em>
\n23 Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.\u201d \u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

The LEGS and FEET of Nebuchadnezzar\u2019s statue MIGHT to some small degree, be equated to ROME and even to the rest of the nations who have joined forces for the final battle INITIATED BY GOD.<\/p>\n

BUT WE NOT WANT TO MISS THIS CRITICAL POINT AS WE GET TO DANIEL 7:<\/strong>
\n7 \u201cAfter this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.<\/em><\/p>\n

The DIFFERENCE between the first three kingdoms and the fourth beast kingdom is that all the others are Geo-Political, inspired and satanically motivated.
\nBUT….
\nThe FINAL KINGDOM was, is and will be a SPIRITUAL DEMONIC KINGDOM, overtly and blatantly religious in nature, comprised of the MIXED (ARAB) PEOPLES and then joined up w other (perhaps even all) nations:<\/p>\n

Zechariah 12:1-3<\/strong><\/em>
\nThe burden of the word of the LORD against Israel. Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him:<\/em>
\n2 “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.<\/em>
\n3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.<\/em><\/p>\n

Hebrews 10:24-25<\/strong><\/em>
\n24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,<\/em>
\n25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.<\/em><\/p>\n

PETER ASKS US THIS, IN LIGHT OF THE DESTRUCTION THAT HE PROPHESIES IN THE TIMES OF THE APPEARANCE OF MESSIAH \u2013 which:
\n2 Peter 3:10-13<\/strong><\/em>
\n10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.<\/em>
\n11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,<\/em>
\n12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?<\/em>
\n13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.<\/em><\/p>\n

There is way more to this ongoing story.
\n1. God loves the Muslim people. Their roots are from Abraham and there were and remain promises to them because of that bloodline. So we pray for those people, pray they will encounter, in biblical truth and accuracy, their one and only Messiah, Jesus – which will require a supernatural revelation to divorce them from the counterfeit presentation of “Jesus” from the quran.
\n2. The scriptures (above and elsewhere) containing blanket statements like “all nations” points to a worldwide confederacy of hatred and animosity towards Israel (which is yet another reason we are told to pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
\nPsalms 122:6<\/strong>
\n6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
\n“May they prosper who love you.<\/em><\/p>\n

That peace will only finally come when the Prince of Peace is welcomed in, by His Jewish people.<\/p>\n

Here’s a sobering image comparo: The illustrated beasts of Daniel’s vision, compared to the recently installed statue outside the United Nations in New York City:
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nAll scripture NKJV<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is being posted in late AUGUST 2023 as we are entering a teaching series on the book of Daniel. Much of this is taken from an earlier Daniel teaching in 2021. Bear with me please as I continue on … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,4,1,12,16,39,24,27,50,33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-apocalypse","category-end-times-related","category-uncategorized","category-fear-of-the-lord","category-israel","category-old-testament","category-prophets","category-revelations","category-timing","category-the-tribulation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1576"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1576\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1660,"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1576\/revisions\/1660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ez3728.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}