2 John
Amplified version of verse 6 says, “This is the commandment, as you have heard from the beginning, that you continue to walk in love [guided by it and following it].” John understood that our behavior stems from our heart. If we love God and love people, it will show in the way we behave toward one another.
The world is deeply broken in the area of love, twisted by heartache, pain, and mistreatment. It’s in God’s love we realize our worth to Him, a love worth fighting for, worth dying for. This love is not a love they’ve known from a messed up world. No wonder sin abounds in such a distorted and dark place. It grieves my heart when a Christian attacks a person that doesn’t know the love of God instead of loving them to light. Why condemn the spiritually dead for drowning? Why not send them a life preserver instead? Jesus did not come to condemn; He came to rescue. Jesus didn’t come for those so arrogant that they didn’t see their own need for His healing touch; He came to seek and save the hurting. We are to express His love to the world, shining a light, a beacon, calling them out of darkness and into the wonders of His life.
John says “Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink: but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.” Today we do a lot of posting on social media, but it can’t replace the depth of a face to face relationship.
Daniel 9
Daniel’s prayer for his people:
Daniel lives righteously before God, yet in his prayer, Daniel identifies himself as part of a Jewish nation, praying the words “we, us, our” twenty times in this prayer. We are not just individuals, we are part of a people. We are part of a church. We are part of a world. Let’s do as Daniel and intercede.
Seventy Weeks Prophecy:
WHILE Daniel was praying (9:20-21), the angel Gabriel came to give Daniel understanding, delivering a message, saying Daniel was greatly loved.
Verse 24
Seventy sevens. The word we translate into “weeks” does not refer to a 7-day week. The word is “sevens” and refers to a set of seven years. Therefore, this prophecy is for 490 years.
The number seven means “full or complete” and it was used to describe the covenant salvation God has provided, making us whole. By His grace, we enter into a rest, a Sabbath. It is not a coincidence that the number 7 is used in prophecy.
Each prophetic year is 360 days (Revelation 11:2,3; 12:6, 14; 13:5). The Jews went by a lunar calendar, not a solar one.
The prophecy pertains to the Jews and Jerusalem.
The prophecy refers to a time period that lasts until sin ends and Christ reigns.
Verse 25
The seventy sevens were divided by significant events.
The first set of seven sevens, or 49 years, started with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the covenant was renewed in Jerusalem.
From the covenant renewal and dedication of the second temple to the proclamation of Messiah as Prince, was another sixty-two sets of seven, 434 years. The Hebrew word for Prince is nagiyd meaning “to be conspicuous” from the root nagad, meaning “to announce, declare, acknowledge, tell.” This event describes when Jesus was declared King by His people, the Triumphal Entry. Jesus said that if the people did not praise Him, the rocks would cry out. This is why rocks would cry out, because this prophecy had to be fulfilled.
Verse 26
After the sixty-two weeks and 7 weeks (total of 69, or 483 years), and after the Triumphal Entry, the Messiah would be cut off. The Hebrew word for cut-off is karat, a word used for cutting covenant, where blood would flow. When the Bible says that no bone of the Messiah would be broken, it is prophetic of the spear that cut the Christ, cutting Him for covenant, where blood flowed. The others who were crucified had bones broken to die faster, but Christ died sooner and no need for His bones to be broken.
The people of the prince to come, speaking of the Antichrist. These were elite Romans.
The Romans destroyed the city and the sanctuary. Notice that much of prophecy centers around a temple, the place where God met His people. This happened in 70 AD.
The Jews scatter from Jerusalem.
Verse 27
“Then” when? After a period of time. The Jews have scattered and the Gospel begins to go around the world, also known as a season for the Gentiles, making Abraham a Father of many nations through faith (Luke 21:24; Romans 11:11-12, 25; John 10:16; Hosea 2:23).
He, the Antichrist, will confirm a covenant with many for the remaining week, the remaining set of seven years. To confirm means “to make strong or to bind.” The Antichrist will be one of many that strengthen an agreement with the Jews.
The Bible never mentions a 7-year tribulation.
In the middle of the seven years, the Antichrist will turn on the Jews and take away their sacrifice in the temple. This second part of the seven years is also known as the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4).
Daniel 10
Daniel fasts and prays until he gets his message, which took 3 weeks. If his answer had come sooner, Daniel would have fasted less time. The reason for the delay was that Satan’s spiritual principality (prince) over Persia fought against the angel messenger from getting to Daniel. Another angel, Michael, a warring angel, was sent to help fight Satan’s principality over Persia. Michael fought off the principality so the angel messenger could get through to Daniel. This explanation for the 21 day delay was not figurative; it was a real happening in the spirit realm, in the atmosphere. Also take note, this spiritual enemy was not described as being over Babylon, but specific to Persia. Depending on who is ruling a nation and which nation has come to power has an affect on the spiritual activity in the heavenlies.
There are evil spirits of different rank and responsibility in Satan’s kingdom of fallen angels. Some higher ranking spirits are positioned to rule over territories. Satan has a hierarchy of spirits, fallen angels, with strategies to hinder or stop God’s purpose with mankind and the earth. They are organized, they have vision, and they follow a chain of command.
Satan understands the concepts of God, taking that knowledge and using against the church. Ignorant and arrogant Christians often are simple pawns, used to cause division and strife in the churches, fighting against spiritual authority, men and women of spiritual calling and rank. Such were the Pharisees, of whom, Jesus said, were of their father, Satan himself.
Jerry and I have traveled to many different cities, states, and countries. In each place, we usually sensed spiritual activity in that specific territory. Even in the place where we pastor, God has given us insight into the demonic activity at work against the churches in our region. It has been confirmed by other pastors and apostles. Those with understanding are responsible to identify and overcome such spiritual activity by the authority delegated to us by the head of the church, Jesus Christ. It is up to pastors to be yielded to the authority of Christ and not tolerate such activity, even when coming through a member(s) of their church. As pastors and spiritual leaders pray, God will expose evil spirits and the people who are not humble before God, instruments of the devil, working against what God would like to do. Satan is cunning, knowing very well who are vulnerable prey, those who are weak and those who are proud. At times, the enemy will even make his way to the authority in the church, causing a pastor to become a puppet of manipulation to bring down that house, devastating the children of God and profaning the name of the Lord in the community. A pastor can be overtaken when he or she tolerates a spirit or the vessels of that spirit who are typically unaware that they are under the influence of an evil spirit. Some want to bring a pastor down to their level to control him or her, focusing on their human side; however, Satan sees the authority and anointing on the life of a pastor and works diligently to remove him or her. As Jesus said, “those with ears to hear, hear.”
Daniel’s messenger had a very difficult time defeating the entity over Persia. However, since then, Jesus changed things. While Satan has authority to work within fallen mankind and a fallen world, Jesus has stripped him of his authority, overcoming principalities, powers, might, and dominion (Ephesians 1:19-23; Colossians 2:15). We have been given authority in Jesus’ name, as His representatives. In His name, we can take authority over evil spirits. Our enemy is not flesh and blood; however, sometimes God will have to remove people who are allowing a spirit to move through them. In the early years of our church, I made a consistent declaration in prayer, and it was, “A spirit of intimidation and control has no place in my life or ministry.” Thank God, we are free from a spirit that was attempting to control our leadership as a way to hinder a move of God in our area. If we had given in to that control, we would not be located where we are today, doing what God has called us to do.
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