BIBLE CHALLENGE
October 5, 2021
"At the time designated, he (the evil king) will come back to the south. But this time, things will turn out differently than before; because ships from Kittim will come against him..."
Daniel 11
“At the time designated, he (the evil king) will come back to the south. But this time, things will turn out differently than before; because ships from Kittim will come against him, so that his courage will fail him. Then, in retreat, he will make furious action against the holy covenant, again showing favor to those who abandon the holy covenant. Armed forces will come at his order and profane the sanctuary and fortress. They will abolish the daily burnt offering and set up the abomination that causes desolation.” Daniel 11:29-31
I was 14 when I got my first job, working for a country club. We used to videotape important tennis matches and re-ran them throughout the day on the big screen TV in the men’s locker room. Once, during the U.S. Open, I watched a club member win hundreds of dollars off another club member, betting on the outcome of a match he had seen the end of earlier in the day. That’s what we call “cheating.”
There are theological skeptics who try to late-date Daniel’s prophecies. That is, they claim the prophecies were written after the events prophesied had unfolded and then attributed them to Daniel. The reason they give for their allegations is purely the fact that Daniel’s prophecies are so accurate. Basically, they accuse the Bible’s compilers of cheating, knowing the outcome, and then writing the prophecy.
Prophecies, yet to unfold, can be trusted because of prophecy fulfilled. Of course, that is exactly what irks the skeptics! Not only were Daniel’s prophecies accurate for the events close to his day & age, but they are also predicting apocalyptic events of the end times. Daniel’s prophecy about the coming of the Greek king, Antiochus Epiphanes, was also predicting the coming of the anti-messiah (aka antichrist) and is echoed in The Revelation, Matthew’s gospel, and other places in the Bible.
“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that leads to desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand…” Matthew 24:14-15
“The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, ‘Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?’ The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander His name and His dwelling place and those who live in heaven.” Revelation 13:3b-6
“Those who act wickedly against the covenant he will corrupt with his blandishments; but the people who know their God will stand firm and prevail. Those among the people who have discernment will cause the rest of the people to understand what is happening; nevertheless, for a while they will fall victim to sword, fire, exile, and pillage. When they stumble, they will receive little help, although many who join them will be insincere. Even some of those with discernment will stumble, so that some of them will be refined, purified, and cleansed for an end yet to come at the designated time.” Daniel 11:32-35