Daniel 10 - Princes in Heavenly Realms

Who are these princes that this scripture speaks of? It appears that they are angels and the trouble that is occurring is occurring or at least instigated in the heavenly realms. Daniel has been fasting for three weeks (21 days) and on the twenty-fourth day he receives a vision of a really awesome looking man, dressed in linen. This man tells him, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia." (Dan 10:12-13 NIV)

Michael, it would seem, is the archangel, Michael. He is the angel who is reputed to lead God's armies against the forces of evil. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph 6:12)

There are times, when we just really need to back up and understand that it is not our neighbor who is the enemy, but that it is the great adversary who is attacking. And... understand, too, that the adversary is not just attacking you, but attacking your neighbor as well, through you. Stand your ground, stand on the Word of God, that the schemes of the princes who do not find favor in God's sight may be thwarted. Pray unceasingly for help, for yourself as well as for your neighbor, that the enemy will have no hold over us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 14 - The Fallen Morning Star

Hate to disappoint you all this morning, but I need to hit the road to do a long distance hospital visit so don't have the time to research chapter 14 as well as I would like to. Maybe, you would like to?

Verses 12 through 15, in particular, leaves us with a question. Who, exactly, is this "morning star, son of the dawn" that has fallen from heaven?

"How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”
But you are brought down to the realm of the dead,to the depths of the pit." (NIV)

First choice is the king of Babylon is the fallen morning star, as in our previous chapter that is what is being prophecied. We need to take a look at these verses in context.

Second choice would be Satan. These would be some of the verses that some Christians traditionally use to support the concept of the fallen angel.

Third choice; although, not a good one... would be the one that some use to deny the deity of the Christ and that is that the morning star refers to Jesus the Christ. See 2 Peter 1:19, Rev 2: 28, and Rev 22:16. These all refer to the Messiah as the morning star. However, we need to remember that the evil one is quite capable of disguising himself as the angel of light. "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." (2 Cor 11:14)

Overall, it is difficult for me not to see the fall of Satan in this reading, mainly because this is what has been engrained in me from early years. Satan, the anti-Christ's, desire is to be seated above the throne of God. On the other hand, this prophecy can be legitimately said to have been fulfilled with the fall of the last king of the Babylonian empire,  Belshazzar. (See Daniel 5 for his fall). I personally am thinking that this prophecy could well have two meaning - two fulfillments.

The good news here in this chapter is that God's ways will not be thwarted. He will have compassion and He will save His people and that His people (according to this prophecy is Israel) will be united in peace with foreigners (this I am reading as you and me - all who believe in salvation through Jesus the Christ).

Got to get moving! Have a blessed day!

God's Peace - Pr. J