3. The Prophecy of Israel’s Return
Week 7 • Day 3
How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? - Psalm 137:4
Over the last couple of days, I wonder if you ever had the feeling that most of our readings from the Emet and the Megillot seem like they do not fit. Perhaps this is what makes these books so difficult to trace when we think about the story of God’s rule in God’s place over God’s people.
Ironically, the next book in the Hebrew Bible order is all about not fitting in. In our traditional ordering of the Bible, the book of Daniel is introduced to us alongside the Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel…). Already, the book of Daniel seems to be a misfit amongst the collection of writings. However, the writings do in fact end with the voice of one last word from a prophet who himself did not fit into his community. The Hebrew authors place Daniel (c. 605 - 535 B.C.) at this location in the Writings because while all these promises from the Major and Minor prophets are exciting and all these “call-backs” from the emet and the megillot are helpful thought exercises, the reality is that Israel is still in exile. Israel is still in the foreign place of Babylon under the rule of a foreign government in which the Hebrew people had been scattered all over the known world!
The question is simple: How does one sing the Lord’s song in a foreign place? Are God’s kingdom promises that were made through the prophets and envisioned in the writings going to come true? How would God finally rescue and restore His kingdom people, return them to His kingdom place, and reestablish His rule?
DANIEL - GOD’S FAITHFUL REMNANT OF PEOPLE
After a long stretch of stories in which God’s people consistently pollute God’s land with sin, we are introduced to a character named Daniel (“God is my judge” in Hebrew). You would figure that someone who lived in a foreign place under a foreign ruler would be enticed to fall away from faith in the God of Israel. However, like Noah or Joesph before him, Daniel becomes an embodiment of the suffering servant who remains faithful amidst heavy persecution. Daniel is presented to us as one of His people who “passes the tests” of faith that were given to Him!
The Daniel Fast
Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief. - Daniel 1:8-9
At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food. So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams…And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. - Daniel 1:15–17, 20
The Fiery Furnace
There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”...
…Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
…Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. - Daniel 3:12, 16-18 , 28
The Lion’s Den
When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”...
…Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. - Daniel 6:10–12, 19-23
DANIEL - GOD’S EVERLASTING RULE
It was one thing for Daniel to be faithful to God as an individual. However - with foreign kings sitting on the throne over God’s people and with the serpent sitting on the spiritual throne in the hearts of God’s people - it would be another thing entirely for God’s people to collectively return to God’s righteous ways and watch as God reestablishes His rule once and for all.
A core feature of the book of Daniel is the “unveiling’ (or apokalypsis in the Greek) of God’s plan to destroy His enemies and establish His rule over His kingdom people. Similar to Joseph in the book of Genesis, God works through Daniel by giving him the ability to interpret the dreams and visions of the governing authorities. All of these particular visions had to do with the fate of their earthly kingdoms. In these visions, pay close attention to the hope and security found in YHWH’s rule over all the kingdoms of the earth no matter who is in charge. Then, pay attention to why Nebuchadnezzer is restored but Belshazzar’s is destroyed.
King Nebuchadnezzer and the statue fo Gold, Iron, Bronze, and Clay
“You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. - Daniel 2:31–35, 44-45
King Nebuchadnezzer and the Mighty Tree
It is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”
Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws. At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and
I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. - Daniel 4:22–27, 33-37
King Belshazzar and the Mysterious Hand Writings
And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.
Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. - Daniel 5:22–28, 30-31
Nebuchadnezzer received restoration for acknowledging YHWH’s rule while Belshazzar was destroyed for not turning from his wicked ways. Yet while it may be nice to see foreign kings come to a place of repentance, our kingdom journey has been priming us to look for that one King who would remain entirely faithful to YHWH and crush the serpent…ENTER DANIEL 7!
In Daniel’s first apocalyptic vision, Daniel sees 4 “animalistic” kingdoms rise to power. He is then transported to a scene in which he sees God Himself as “the Ancient of Days” take his seat before a series of thrones ready to judge all people. Here, Daniel sees a vision “one like a son of man” standing before the Ancient of Days (without being utterly destroyed) and being given all power and dominion to rule over all things on behalf of the Ancient of Days!
Could this son of man finally be the serpent-crusher and rule on God’s behalf?
I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’
And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. - Daniel 7:13-14, 17-18, 27
DANIEL - GOD’S KINGDOM PLACE
The final chapters of Daniel offer two more apocalyptic visions about things that are yet to come. Counting from his first vision in Daniel 7, the second of Daniel’s mysterious visions imagines the history of the Persian empire that would overtake Babylonians, the Greek empire and the great horn of Alexander the Great that would overtake Persia, and the Syrian empire that would be an offshoot of the Greek empire and would boast Antiochus Epiphanes IV. In the 2nd century B.C., Antiochus Epiphanes IV utterly destroyed Jerusalem, intentionally sacrificed impure animals on the altar of the second temple, and made human sacrifices to the newly erected a statue of Olympus in the middle of the temple (Daniel 8).
The third and final vision that Daniel receives adds a supernatural element to these upcoming historical conflicts by revealing the archangel Michael who defends God’s people against the powers of darkness animating the nations. What follows is an extraordinarily detailed vision from the perspective of “the glorious land (v. 16)” and adds incredible detail to the political maneuvers that take place within the rise and fall of Persia and Greece. Then, we read about these back-and-forth maneuvers involving the kings of the north against the kings of the south, explaining the precise political turmoil that would take place between the Seleucid empire in Syria in the north and the Ptolemy empire of Egypt in the south.
Near the end of this vision, Daniel sees a great king who rises to prominence completely independent of and in direct opposition to God and his righteousness. Regardless of whether the true identity of this powerful King of the North is the Roman Emperor or the Antichrist in Revelation, the reader of Daniel is left with an “unveiled’ vision of hope until the time of the end when God’s people would return to the glorious land!
“And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all. He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price. - Daniel 11:36–39
“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 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.” - Daniel 12:1–4
GOD’S RESPONSE: THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM
While these jaw-dropping acts of God and these visions gave hope to the kingdom people, it still doesn’t change the fact that they remained in exile. When would this story of desolation and sin ever stop? In one of the most poignant scenes in the entire Hebrew Bible, God’s faithful servant in exile takes it upon himself to pray for the unfaithfulness of the entire nation. After realizing that the 70 year prophecy of Jeremiah was almost completed, Daniel prays and takes the responsibility of the nation's sin upon himself in the hope that the Lord would keep His kingdom promises that He has made up to this point.
So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.”
O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.” - Daniel 9:3-5, 16-19
Daniel knew that God’s people were in need of a divine act to rescue them from their circumstances. It would take a miracle for the promised King to deliver God’s people from the kingdom of sin and bring them back into God’s glorious land under God’s rule. In response to Daniel’s plea for God to move, the archangel Gabriel appears swiftly to Daniel and offers an apocalyptic timeline of God’s plan revolving around 70 weeks. Time to pull out the calculators!
Daniel 9:24–27
“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.
Hebrew translation is literally “70 7’s” or 70 sets of 7 weeks
70 x 7 = 490
Estimated by scholars to be a reference to 490 years
Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks.
According to Nehemiah 2, the decree of King Artaxerxes specifically commissions Israelites to rebuild Jerusalem in 445 B.C.
7 weeks = “7 7’s” or 7 sets of 7 = 49 years
Ancient Hebrew 360 day calendar → 49 years x 360 days = 17,640 days
17,640 days = 48 years and 120 days according to our modern calendar
445 B.C. - 48 years and 120 days = 396 B.C.
The first 7 weeks signals the rebuilding of ALL Jerusalem which finished c. 396
Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing.
According to Nehemiah 2, the decree of King Artaxerxes specifically commissions Israelites to rebuild Jerusalem in 445 B.C.
7 weeks = 49 years (see above)
62 weeks = “62 7’s” or 62 sets of 7 = 434 years
49 years + 434 years = 483 years
Ancient 360 day calendar → 483 years x 360 days = 173,880 days
173,800 days = 476 years 25 days according to our modern calendar
445 B.C. - 476 years and 25 days = 33 A.D.
An anointed one “shall be cut off and shall have nothing” in 33 A.D.
And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
Possible allusion to the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
Possible allusion to the prophetic time clock going “to the end”.
Thus far 69 of the 70 sets of 7’s have taken place. 1 final set of 7 remains
War and Desolations are decreed until “the end”...but when is the end?
And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
At “the end” Daniel has a vision of the final “week” of 7 years. This final week likely explains the end time period of “tribulation” (see Matthew 25; Revelation)
This “tribulation” will feature the 7 year presence of “the prince” who will end sacrifice and offering.
In the middle of the tribulation (3.5 years), the abomination of desolation will come much like Antiochus IV profaned Jerusalem and the temple.
The end of the tribulation will result in final judgment on the desolator.
Share the Gospel: How does one sing the Lord’s song in a foreign place? Are God’s kingdom promises that were made through the prophets and envisioned in the writings going to come true? Daniel knew that God’s people were in need of a divine act to rescue them from their circumstances. It would take a miracle for the promised King to deliver God’s people from the kingdom of sin and bring them back into God’s glorious land under God’s rule.
