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Examining our Life in Light of the Certainty of God's Word

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Examining our Lives in Light of the Certainty of God’s Word. Daniel 9-12 “Therefore, the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.” Chapters 9-12 of Daniel are remarkable for several reasons. First, Daniel is given a prophecy that accurately describes the history from his day to the arrival of the Messiah. In chapter 9, Daniel describes 70 prophetic weeks that will come. The first 69 weeks (each consisting of a 7-year period) point us to the arrival of the Messiah. Determining the exact starting point of the 69 weeks has led to two views. The first is that the 69 weeks begin with the decree of Nehemiah in 450 BC. If this date is correct, then the 483 years predicted by the prophecy culminate in the triumphant entry of Christ into the city of Jerusalem. The 2 nd  view is that the 69 weeks begin with Ezra in 457 BC. In this case, the first 7 weeks would...
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Hope In Times of Darkness

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Hope when times become Dark Daniel 6-8 “And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve him.”                   When Nebuchadnezzar was restored to power after God humbled him, it was a time of blessing and prosperity for the people of Israel.  While we do not know for certain, Nebuchadnezzar’s confession in 4:34-35 would seem to indicate that he became a genuine follower of the God of Israel.  With his proclamation, the worship of the God of Israel was elevated to the high level of blessing and approval.  With the proclamation, the Jews must have rejoiced, for it seems as if their misfortune of the exile was turning around.  However, after Nebuchadnezzar’s death, Belshazzar took power. Rather than affirming the worship of the God of Israel, he openly mocked God.  It was a t...
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The One who Controls the Nations

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The God Who is Sovereign Daniel 1-5 “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding.”                   We are living in a time of fear and political upheaval.  The geo-political climate seems to be marred by fear and uncertainty.  People, even Christians, live in fear that the wrong party will be elected and will lead the nation to destruction, so we look for a political leader who can bring hope, stability, and justice to the world.  The greatest threat to the national health and stability is not the party elected, or the party defeated; the greatest threat is our trust in humanity to solve the national and global problems and uncertainties.  We continue to look for political solutions to a world that is plagued by spiritual problems.  We...
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The Future Presence of God

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A Future Dwelling Place of God Ezekiel 41-48 “The City shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The Lord is There.” (48:35)                   At first glance, it seems that Ezekiel 41-48 is just a restatement of the temple and the sacrificial system described in Leviticus. However, when we examine the passage more closely, the description of the temple and its measurements does not match any of the temples built in Jerusalem throughout history.  Its design and dimensions do not match the temples built by Solomon, Zerubbabel, or Herod. Furthermore, while the worship procedures described have parallels with the worship set forth in the Mosaic law, there are also significant differences.  Likewise, the geographic descriptions of the tribal allotments and the river that flows from the temple do not fit any of the past or present geography...
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God's Transforming Power

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God’s redemptive Power Ezekiel 36-40 “Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, my people.  I will put My Spirit within you, and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land.  Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it.”                   Chapters 36-37 provide a profound insight into the power of God and also one of the most debated passages in the book.  The question is not about the reality of the fulfillment, but the nature and timing of the fulfillment. Some believe this restoration was fulfilled when Israel was restored under Ezra and Nehemiah.  Others believe (including myself) that the prophecy will find its ultimate fulfillment during the Millennial reign of Christ.  The nature and extent of this restoration best point us to a ti...
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Listening to the Right Preacher

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Listening to the Right Preacher Ezekiel 31-35 “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?”                   In our age of mobility and mass media, we are inundated with options, people, and churches that claim to speak for God but preach very different messages.  In today’s world, we can easily find a church, a preacher, a writer, a podcaster… and the list goes on… each affirming that they are proclaiming God’s message but preaching contradictory messages.  How, then, do we navigate this landscape and know we are listening to the right people with the right messages?                   This question is not just a question we deal with today; it was the same question the people of Israel were confronted with in the time of E...
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Learing to Trust in God

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The Recognition of God’s Supremacy Ezekiel 26-30 “Then they will know that I am the Lord.”                   In the daily grind of life, it is easy to forget God.  Life seems to march forward in time with little change and little awareness of God.  Because time seems to march on relentlessly and unchanged, we start to think that we control our own destiny and that, with our wealth, we can insulate ourselves from any trouble.  Instead of trusting in God and looking to him for our life and security, we start to look to ourselves and our own abilities to determine our future.  But of all the things that give us an illusion of security and safety, and there is none greater than the illusion of wealth.  We not only believe that wealth is the basis and key to happiness, but we also trust it to provide our security against the unknowns of tomorrow. ...
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