In Position
Daniel 11:34-45
Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
When the righteous do come to trouble and bad times during the end, there will be little help but much flattery. Have you ever known anyone like this? You go to do something nice for someone else, but they are always expecting something in return. Or you know those people in life which spread positivity and good vibes but little actual help. I am not speaking of those which cannot; I mean those which will not. These are of the sort of Job's three friends or of Satan in the garden of Eden. It is little wonder that the wise, those possessing both oil and Jesus, of that time will fall so that several things will happen. Some of these will try the spirits of those offering both help and flattery. Some of these will purge them as one does an enemy. In that day, Matthew 10:34-35 promises there will be enemies in your own house, your hometown, and of your nation. Some of these will turn many to righteousness and will make them white. Even at the end when such things have been appointed will they be. God can have a supernatural salvation and deliverance ministry right here even in these times. Oh yes, he is able to keep his people also from falling according to Jude 1:24-25. So also will he preserve them to appear before him faultless in the end.
And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
The things he shall speak are none that any before him have uttered successfully nor will yet hope to utter again. The marvelous spoken of here does not refer to wonderful things. Rather it speaks of the fact that as God is long suffering, so is he also holy and just. It is marvelous as in Matthew 21:42 because the stone the builders rejected the same became head of the corner; "this is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes." Here we see why the king is doing so because he came to do his own will. Unlike Christ, he came not to do the Father's will of Hebrews 10:7. This man even has his own praise and worship team for himself. If you recall, it was the same in the time of the image of prior texts that King Nebuchanezzer set up. For a time, it may seem like this flattering man is prospering. The indignation must be as determined and so on until God's kingdom come and his will is done. There is no regard for God, his fathers, the people, or women either. The only one he honors and worships is himself.
But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
Hold on to your seats people. This is going to be a good one. Let us see for a moment the god the flattering man honors. In his estate he will "honor the god of forces." So, when you think of forces these might be of the natural world or of someone who forces man to do his will. This is a very warlike, battle-ready god of his. More than that, it raises the question whether this god the flattering man honored forced him. He may be forced to be here at this time and in this place for a purpose just as this man will deal with the people. This god was unknown to his fathers and all who came before him. He will also bring this god gold, silver, "precious stones, and pleasant things." The god the man serves is a strange one, unlike any other. It is one that seems to be the opposite from the Lord. If you will recall in Ephesians 4:8, the Lord ascended on high, led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. This man, as seen before, honors himself above all. He will gift this strange god, he will force him, and be forced even in the strongholds. This flattering man is sowing king Belshazzar behavior and reaping Babylon size rewards. When the strange Lord Jesus comes, whom even this man knows not, the glory and the honor of many will be given him. Yes, even the kingdom the flattering man built will be left for the Lord.
And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
Then comes the king of the south against him and the king of the north also. Before they were turned on each other. But now, they came into the scene like Holy Spirit bouncers at a bar fight. One pushes and the other moves like a whirlwind. Like a whirlwind, the king of the north moves and leaves behind a similar path of destruction in his wake. The effect on this flattering man is seen as this; he will enter the countries, overflow, and pass over. It is like what should have happened in the Garden of Eden long ago. But the nations have not yet been turned unto the Lord. Many people are turned to righteousness, and some are not. So therefore, they come as one but with a divided heart and purpose. How many of you know that the house divided against itself of Matthew 12:25 will not stand.
At this time, the Lord is working. Supernatural events are taking place and physical ones also. We see the people have not yet figured out who is running the show. Some think it might be the flattering man; but since many are of him and some are of the Lord, they will not stand. He makes countries be destroyed because of the division inside. Also, the flattering man will enter "into the glorious land." This could be Heaven or the Holy Land; how many know that the Lord's kingdom will never be destroyed. Some will also escape his hand, namely Edom, Moab, and Ammon. These people regarded not man anyway nor any save the one they called their god. In that day of Psalm 60:8, God will make them his people, his wash pot, and the caster of his shoes. We see in this the children which once were cast out are now cast in. No longer are they the babies no one wanted, the nation everyone rejected, and the people called despised. Those whose sins are covered by the Lord will be called blessed in Psalm 32:1-2.
He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
The devil tries to put his hands upon the people as he did since the beginning. The land of Egypt, the birthplace of slavery will "not escape." Even in the mess and distress, God alone brings divine justice and retribution. Again, the flattering man has been given power of all the treasures of gold, silver, and precious things from that land. I can hear some people now saying, 'aren't those haunted or cursed?' In this we see mistaken attempts to take credit for what the Lord is doing. How many know that what God has purposed will come to pass as in Isaiah 46:10. Not even Pharaoh standing up in his place will duplicate the hand of the Lord this time. For this, the Libyans and Ethiopians are "at his steps." I cannot tell if this is friendly or not; the picture given here is like two watchdogs chasing after someone in Psalm 23:6. If you will recall, the Ethiopian eunuch of Acts 8:26-40 was among the first to be saved and baptized. This legacy of faith has continued among these peoples until this day. Even if it were not, God will soon visit them for their neglect of himself.
But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
Now comes news from the east and north. Around this time, will come the kings of the east and the armies of the world will set themselves around for the battle known as Armageddon. Until this point the east has not been mentioned in Scripture prophecy. You might be asking, 'what happened?' There is one more perspective to be seen of the two men standing beside the waters as Daniel watched. One called to another and the one upon the waters answered and swore by himself. If you count those present, they equal four. I am not calling Daniel a minister of God. But these four could represent the four spirits of God especially if Daniel stood in the place of someone else. For his service, Daniel was given his own way but followed the Lord. At the end, he was commanded to stand in his place. Because of Daniel's position, he served God and represented the kings of that time. Now back to our topic of much consternation. How can it be the flattering man will "utterly take away many?" This is because of who shows up next in Revelation 19:12-15: Jesus with a robe dipped in blood and the saints of Heaven with him.
At this time, the stone not made with hands will arise and will fill the whole earth. It starts off with a little pebble as Jesus' feet touch down on that mountain above the flattering man's house. The pebble grows into an avalanche as the mountain splits prophesied in Zechariah 14:4. Here now the people run into the valley between. As the mountain falls upon his palace, his destruction finds him. So many since the time of Isaiah 2:19 have been calling for the mountains to fall to cover them from the wrath of God and the Lamb. There will be no help at hand for the flattering man because the Lord is at hand. How many of you know that when he is in the house, all disorder must cease. Here now as in Psalm 84:3, has the swallow found a home and the sparrow a place by the seat of God. How many of you know that when you have nothing and no one, you still have the Lord. Confusion was reigning but soon even that as with time will be no more.