" He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God
shall stand firm and take action.
Those who are wise will instruct many,
though for a time they will fall
by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered." - Daniel 11:32-33 (ESV)
Those Who Know God Will Resist Evil
Today’s devotion explains the historical fulfillment of the Daniel’s prophetic text he wrote in
536 BC in Daniel 11:32-33. Around 168 BC Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian king, tried to
destroy the Jewish culture by bribing the Jewish leadership, forcing the Greek culture on
the general population and killing those who resisted him. This resulted in the Jewish nation
being polarized into two groups: the compromisers and the committed. Those who stood
their ground (“the wise”) encouraged others to find strength in the Truth and to stand with
those who supported the Word of God revealed to Israel. The non-committed faded and
the faithful became stronger, and thus the Jewish nation was purified. It was at this time
that the old priest Mattathias and his five sons (including Judas Maccabaeus) led a group
of resistors into the hills of Judea and fought a series of battles against the Seleucid (Syrian)
soldiers to gain national independence and to reestablish temple worship in Jerusalem.
These events set the stage for Gospels and the life of Jesus.
"The Great Commission is far more than evangelism...The Great Commission is to make disciples, 'teaching them all I have taught you.' "
- Chuck Colson
Jesus trusted the Scriptures since he quoted from 19 of the OT books and referred to 20 OT people as historical including Adam and Noah.
yarey(Hb) - Fear (Eng) - this verb means "to flow" in Hebrew.
This is based on that common feeling we have on the inside when we are
legitamately afraid. We feel our insides "flowing."
Ancient Jericho’s tel is a series of five ancient cities built on the ruins of the previous city. Joshua’s Jericho is number four. This fourth Jericho civilization had double walls 30 feet high, 6 feet thick and perished in a violent fire that burnt bricks and cracked stone.
Do I know God and his Word well enough to recognize evil and corruption?
Today I will recognize and resist evil.
"Since you rejected me when I called...I in turn will laugh at your disaster."
Proverbs 1:24-26
Micronesia - cultural magic; (click World box for daily update)
This is the lunchroom for the Qumran community that lived outside Jerusalem in the Judean wilderness in the location that John the Baptist began his ministry. The Dead Sea is in the background. (click on image for larger size)
Israel in the days of Jeremiah 600 BC
(click on image for larger size)
