Study Desk

In the third year of Cyrus the king of Persia, a message came to Daniel from God, and it was explained in a vision. The message was about a horrible war, and it was true.

and then said, "Daniel, your God thinks highly of you, and he has sent me. So stand up and pay close attention." I stood trembling, while the angel said:

Daniel, don't be afraid! God has listened to your prayers since the first day you humbly asked for understanding, and he has sent me here.

The angel touched me a second time and said, "Don't be frightened! God thinks highly of you, and he intends this for your good, so be brave and strong." At this, I regained my strength and replied, "Please speak! You have already made me feel much better."

The two kings will meet around a table and tell evil lies to each other. But their plans will fail, because God has already decided what will happen.

At the time God has decided, the king of the north will invade the southern kingdom again, but this time, things will be different.

The king will use deceit to win followers from those who are unfaithful to God, but those who remain faithful will do everything possible to oppose him.

Some of those who are wise will suffer, so that God will make them pure and acceptable until the end, which will still come at the time he has decided.

This king will do as he pleases. He will proudly claim to be greater than any god and will insult the only true God. Indeed, he will be successful until God is no longer angry with his people.

This king will reject the gods his ancestors worshiped and the god preferred by women. In fact, he will put himself above all gods

and worship only the so-called god of fortresses, who was unknown to his ancestors. And he will honor it with gold, silver, precious stones, and other costly gifts.

With the help of this foreign god, he will capture the strongest fortresses. Everyone who worships this god will be put in a position of power and rewarded with wealth and land.

Everyone who has been wise will shine as bright as the sky above, and everyone who has led others to please God will shine like the stars.

The angel then raised both hands toward heaven and said, "In the name of the God who lives forever, I solemnly promise that it will be a time, two times, and half a time. Everything will be over, when the suffering of God's holy people comes to an end."

God will bless everyone who patiently waits until one thousand three hundred thirty-five days have gone by.

But I am the Lord God of Judah, and I will have mercy and save Judah by my own power—not by wars and arrows or swords and cavalry."

Then the Lord said, "Name him Lo-Ammi, because these people are not mine, and I am not their God."

Someday it will be impossible to count the people of Israel, because there will be as many of them as there are grains of sand along the seashore. They are now called "Not My People," but in the future they will be called "Children of the Living God."

I will scatter the seeds and show mercy to Lo-Ruhamah. I will say to Lo-Ammi, "You are my people," and they will answer, "You are our God."

It will also be a long time before Israel has a king or before sacrifices are offered at the temple or before there is any way to get guidance from God.