Stand Firm and
Take Action
Daniel 11 is a stunning passage
of detailed predictive prophecy. “The longest continuous
prophecy in the Bible is found in the 11th chapter of Daniel.” (Oxford Companion To The Bible) It gives many details that were fulfilled in
history over the next several hundred years.
It is so precise that unbelievers say it had to be written after the
events took place, but that is not the case.
Also in the prophecy there is some
telescoping into the distant future of the end time. The text is talking about this ruthless
leader, Antiochus IV Epiphanies, and then it telescopes to the end times and
focuses on the final evil leader, Antichrist.
In this section of Daniel 11 we see
some of the warfare tactics that Satan has utilized since the beginning, and
still uses today. This is what we face
today.
For example, see Daniel 11: 30 –
35. It begins by pointing out that the
forces of evil are looking for those who are forsaking the holy covenant. It says, “He shall turn back and pay
attention to those who forsake the holy covenant.” Can you imagine that? Satan is paying attention to those who are in
the community of God’s people, and he is looking for those who are forsaking
the holy covenant. He is looking for the
stragglers, those in the back of the flock, beginning to walk away. They are people who are beginning to compromise
and forsake the holy covenant. There are
many ways to forsake the covenant. There
is too much covenant forsaking.
In verse 32 it says, “He shall seduce
with flattery those who violate the covenant.”
When an individual begins to forsake God’s Word, the evil one will begin
to really work on them. He will seduce
them with flattery. Is it possible that
Satan uses popularity as a powerful tool to get us away from God? Imagine the evil one insinuating to preachers
that if they just go light on the unpopular aspects of God, more people will
attend their meetings and buy their books.
We do not live in a safe place. The forces of evil want desperately to turn
us away from the beautiful New Covenant, and the Word of God in general. I have heard some intense battle stories
from our soldiers from Afghanistan. They
tell of a very aggressive and deceptive enemy.
The enemy looks to take every advantage.
The enemy attacks in the wee hours, with intense violence. The battlefield is loud, confusing, and
deadly. God’s Word presents the
Christian life in the same way. Our
enemy wants nothing more that to lull us to sleep, and then attack.
Daniel tells us that in the Greek wars,
and at the end of times too, “but the people who know their God shall stand
firm and take action.” (v.32) This is
just as true today. God has a people who
know HIM, and they are standing firm and taking action! Our stand needs to be based on the truth of
God’s Word. We need to know our God
based on his revelation of himself. This
calls for careful study. So we should
stand firm. But notice, we are also to take
action. Do not just hunker down, and
bury your capital. No! We need to be
productive for our Lord. Daniel gives us how we are to be productive. We are to make many understand, and turn many
to righteousness. (Daniel 11:33,
12:3)
This is God’s plan for us here on the
earth. While we live in a dangerous
spiritual arena, we are to stand firm and stay active for our Lord.
Also, in this passage in Daniel, we are
taught that a part of God’s plan is severe testing of his faithful agents. Those who are standing firm and taking
action, will suffer persecution and great suffering. Daniel 11:35 says this testing is God’s plan
“so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the
end.” In all our struggles, even when
people are treating us very badly, we can rest assured that God is disciplining
us for our good, and thus showing his fatherly love towards us.
Are you standing firm and taking action
to make many understand and turn them to righteousness?
