Daniel: Yahweh is Faithful to His People: Then, Now, and Forever

Enduring Persecution as God’s People, Part 2

Daniel 11:21-35

➢ Read Daniel 11:29-35 and recall any details you can about Antiochus IV Epiphanes, Ptolemy VI, and Gaius Laenus – throw in Judah Maccebeus, if you want to. Even if you do not remember details, you will likely remember that most scholars understand Antiochus Epiphanes to be a type of the Antichrist who met his end after a short reign of terror. He brutally oppressed and persecuted any Jews who would not worship Zeus between 169 B.C. and 164 B.C. Do you recall the four “offenses” for which the Jews could receive the death penalty? Hint – see in additional notes.

➢ Review the points of application – same as last week, but with more pointed questions:

1. Stay connected to God’s Word!

• How are you doing with devotions/reading through the Bible?

• What are you studying/learning?

2. Stay connected to community

• Discuss the power of a unity, both in the culture and in the church

• How will we stay connected in the summer if we do not meet?

3. To compromise your beliefs in one area is to walk willingly into Satan’strap

• Anyone willing to talk about a compromise you made earlier in life from which you learned?

• Pray for and offer counsel for anyone who is being pressured to compromise at work, school, etc.

4. Understand that deliverance from trials might not come in this life – trust God anyway

• How can we prepare for bad news (health, relationships, etc.) in our personal lives – conditions that might not get better?

• How can we prepare for the ultimate sacrifice under persecution?

5. Pray for our government leaders that we might live peaceful and godly lives – 1 Timothy 2:1-2

• Stop and pray!

6. Make a decision to stand with/for Jesus before you are forced to make a decision about standing or not

• Tertullian said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” We are grateful for those who have died that we might hear the pure gospel.

• Pray for the persecuted church!

7. Regularly affirm your belief in the gospel – with your church family – at the Lord’s Table

• What does the Lord’ Supper mean to you?

• Do you understand how partaking in the meal strengthens you in all the areas we have discussed?

Additional Notes for Daniel 11:21-35

Restrictions for Jews by Antiochus IV Epiphanes

1. Not allowed to possess Scripture – penalty: death

2. Not allowed to circumcise male children (think baptism) – penalty: death

3. Not allowed to sacrifice animals (think the Lord’s Supper) – penalty: death

4. Not allowed to observe feast days (think Advent and Easter) – penalty: death

Carl Trueman: Many of us understand the expressive individualism that has taken hold of our culture is regressive (moving backwards rather than moving forward). We all acknowledge that our feelings are important. We fall in love, we get hurt, we enjoy things, we hate certain things, but for the Christian, our feelings must never be allowed to be authoritative.

David Powlison: The state of your emotions is no accurate register of whether you are actually relying on God.

Psalm 73:12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. 13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. 14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. 15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children. 16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. 18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. 28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

To know the Word is to know the Lord (Psalm 119). To read and understand Scripture through a gospel lens is to know Jesus (John 5:39-40).

Michael Talley on supernatural communities: Natural communities gather based on common interests or background, but a supernatural community comes together based on the blood of Christ. It unites different types of people, which is beautiful, but it also makes life challenging in a practical sense. This is why most of the letters in the NT were written - to help the church work out these differences in community. We have hope because the same God who calls us together leads us through difficulties in conflict. This is what makes it a powerful, supernatural community.

Lamentations 4:11 But now the anger of the Lord is satisfied. His fierce anger has been poured out. He started a fire in Jerusalem that burned the city to its foundations. (New Living Translation)

Matthew 26:39 “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.

Romans 3:24 . . . (we) are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

Propitiation – the Father’s wrath against sin was satisfied - once and for all - with Jesus’ blood sacrifice.

John Stott: Propitiation is even greater. God’s wrath was exhausted in Jesus’ blood.

All who believe and call on the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13)

Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.