In the book of Daniel, Daniel shared how Gabriel told him, “then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yes, also the prince of the covenant. And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yes, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time”, and in chapter eleven and verse twenty-five of his book Daniel shared how Gabriel said, “he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south” where we read,
And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.
The verse reads, “And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army;” Daniel began with the words, “and he shall stir up his power” or “and he, the flattering ruler, will arouse, awaken and incite his, strength, might and ability” “and his courage” which means “and his, inner man, mind, will, heart, soul and understanding” “against the king” or “in opposition to the royal ruler and leader” “of the south” which means “pertaining to the southern direction” “with a great army” or “accompanied by a massive and abundant amount of military forces”. Daniel shared how the flattering ruler would arouse his strength, might, mind, soul and understanding in opposition to the royal ruler in the southern direction accompanied by a massive group of military forces.
The verse continues, “and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army;” Daniel added the words, “and the king” or “and the royal ruler and leader” “of the south” which means “pertaining to the southern direction”, “shall be stirred up” or “will be filled with strife, contention, meddling, excitement and engagement” “to battle with a very great and mighty army” which means “to fight and war accompanied by an exceedingly massive and powerful military force”. Daniel shared how Gabriel told him the royal ruler in the southern direction would also be engaged and filled with strife to fight against the king of the north with the use of a massive and powerful military.
Finally the verse says, “but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.” Daniel concluded this verse with the words, “but he” which means “the king of the south” “shall not stand” or “will in no way or manner withstand, endure or remain”: “for they shall forecast” which means “because, since and on account that they, the opposing army will calculate, invent, devise and imagine” “devices against him” or “thoughts, purposes and plans in opposition to him, the king of the south”. Daniel ended this verse by sharing how Gabriel told him the “king of the south” would not be able to endure the attack of the “king of the north” because the “king of the north and his army” would invent purposes and plans in opposition to him.
When we consider Daniel’s words in this verse, we discover how Gabriel informed him once again about the battles that ensued between the “king of the north” and the “king of the south”. Yet another time the northern “king” gathered together more troops to which the southern “king” responded in the same manner. Regardless of his efforts, the plans of the “northern king” were to be too great for the southern “king” to overcome. Matthew Henry wrote, “Antiochus shall stir up his power and courage against Ptolemaeus Philometer king of Egypt. Ptolemy, thereupon, shall be stirred up to battle against him, shall come against him with a very great and mighty army; but Ptolemy, though he has such a vast army, shall not be able to stand before him; for Antiochus's army shall overthrow his, and overpower it, and great multitudes of the Egyptian army shall fall down slain. And no marvel, for the king of Egypt shall be betrayed by his own counselors.” Every time these rulers believed themselves to be in control, God was, and their kingdoms came to an end. God knows us as well, and He loves us. He proved His love toward us when He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of everyone, and when He raised Him from the dead after three days, when we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who will keep our minds and souls assured that He has all kingdoms and rulers in His control.
Next time Daniel shares how Gabriel says, “they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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