38. Daniel and Visions
38. Daniel and Visions - Notes
38. Daniel and Visions - PP
Audio instead of Video
Because of the content of this session, I am concerned that YouTube could remove my channel and all the other videos with it if I were to post this as a video on YouTube. For that reason, I am including only an audio of the Zoom meeting session. Feel free to scroll down as you listen and you will see the same text that would have been on the video.
Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” And… another angel… said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst’ ” (Zechariah 2:1-5).
Jesus the Messiah. The fires right now in the city God calls Sodom are being proclaimed as the fulfillment of this prophecy and that the NON-Jesus Messiah is about to come.
Truth is not established by combatting the lie; truth comes out from the presence of Jesus the Messiah in our hearts and the lie is exposed even as it vanishes.
We are taking all these Old Testament Scriptures and applying them entirely and only to the Messiah already come and now present inside our hearts and inside our fellowship together. As we have done so, we have seen just how profoundly the Old Testament actually fits with the revelation of Christ through us.
The Final Showdown. I will use the term “Pharisee” to refer to all who adhere to the Talmud or to any natural fulfillment separate from the completion of Christ in His Church.
We are entering the final showdown, as proclaimed by today’s Pharisees.
Here is that showdown, according to Jesus. – But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours’ (Luke 20:14). Versus – No one will come to the Father except through Me (John 14:6).
An Unholy Place. When I look through the proclamations of how the temple will be rebuilt as a fulfillment of that covenant which God annulled, to prepare the way for the coming of any Messiah other than Jesus, I see a complete absence of the Lord Jesus Christ, of the knowledge of the Father and of the ruling verses of the Gospel in their use of Bible verses.
And in the place of these, as we have come to know them precious and true, filling our hearts with joy, I see, in all these words of “fulfillment,” a profound evil.
If they do actually build a “temple made of stone,” in that unholy place, then it will embody the presence of all hostility against God, more than the “Israel Supreme Court.”
Practical and Real. I did not know I would go in this direction until I considered the article claiming that the fires burning today are “God” surrounding His people. Yet it is the only direction to go, for every Word from God entering into us is practical and real for our present world.
You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
The Rule of the Pharisees. The rule of the Pharisees over the entire earth in our day is the rule of Babylon; it is the image King Neb saw. The “rule of the Pharisees” includes Marxism, international finance, pop culture, freemasonry, world media. The English speaking nations are entirely a Masonic cult – the Kabbala.
And the stone “cut out without hands” is also “the stone which the builders rejected,” that is, the Messiah, walking the earth today Bodily as the completion of Christ, that is, believers in Jesus loving one another.
I mean, where is the breaking news regarding the awesome reality of believers in Jesus loving one another? Nothing happening right now is greater or more important.
The False Prophet. I have not found a greater dishonesty towards what God actually says in the New Testament than that dishonesty found within what is called “Christian Zionism.”
Daniel Chapters 2 & 3 are clearly parallel with Revelation Chapter 13, the beast, its image, and the false prophet. A false prophet is that which calls forth contrary to Jesus. I assert that “Christian Zionism” is a major part of that false prophet, which is coming as the power that fills all media conversation today.
My purpose here is not to depart from knowing God’s Heart, and so I will state only the “stand firm.”
Using the Scriptures. Anytime I read someone using the Scriptures, Old Testament or New, for carnal purposes, for worldly kingdoms, for arrogance and contempt, I think – Those verses, so precious to us, DO NOT BELONG to you.
As Paul said, “The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to know them because they are spiritually distinguished” (1 Corinthians 2).
We understand and interpret all Scripture in only one way – It is the Spirit who gives life, a natural interpretation profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit and they are life.
Christ Inside Our Hearts. I stake everything, including my life, on the assertion that Christ, EVERY Word God speaks, lives inside of my heart through my confidence that He does and that anything outside of that absolute is false.
And here inside of Christ inside our hearts, every word we find in the Old Testament is fulfilled, including all prophetic word, as a Kingdom of life arising out from our hearts and swallowing up the entire world inside of LIFE.
You and I, as the least believers in Jesus, are the great stone cut out without hands, that is, not of human endeavor, and through our little and mighty prayers, we are bringing that whole thing DOWN!
And I Saw Thrones. I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him.
And I assert that these thrones are our hearts, the Mercy Seat of God, and that as we welcome our Father into our souls, to share our lives with us, so He, the Ancient of Days, is seated.
And I assert that the fiery stream coming out from God in our mouth, as Paul said, is “Be reconciled to God.”
The Ancient of Days. I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
I assert that “until the Ancient of Days came” IS and can be nothing other than John 14:23 and 17:3 – And My Father will love him, and we will come to and will make Our home with him. – This is age-unfolding life (the Kingdom), to know You, the only true God – the Father.
The ruling verses of the Bible RULE absolutely.
A Judgment Made. And a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
The premise of this series is that the ruling idea of the Old Testament is the relationship of heart between these individuals and God, a relationship that we also share. At the same time, as we have gone through this study, some big things are happening for me inside of me.
And I assert that this judgment made in favor of the saints is a personal word to us, for if it is not a personal word held in quiet confidence, it cannot be Christ.
Christ in His Body. As we have looked at all these Old Testament characters, we have found such commonality, such a sharing of heart with each one of them and they with us.
As we have done that, we have found that the words of God surrounding them match perfectly together with the words of the gospel surrounding us.
And here is where we place Daniel, the man. I did not have you read Chapter 10, but I should have. Daniel saw a vision that those around him did not see, but they were filled with terror and fled. This vision is the same as Revelation 1 – Christ IN HIS BODY.
Do Not Fear. Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength.
This is very interesting, for the one speaking to Daniel is clearly Gabriel, an angel, yet it is a vision of Christ, that is, Christ in us, that causes Daniel to tremble.
“O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” – “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.”
Heaven and Earth. You are the same as Daniel, for you have set your heart to know the Father through what He actually says written upon your heart, and inside of Christ, you are greatly loved.
Then Gabriel says something very interesting. – But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
There is a whole lot of information concerning “heaven” in this short line, including the fact that heaven counts time the same as earth, and that earthly realities and heavenly realities are matched.
Daniel’s People. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.
Again, we know that the very moment Jesus rose from the dead, He took Daniel with Him, inside Himself, along with Abraham, Moses, and David and all the others.
In that moment, Daniel became a born again believer in Jesus and “his people” are all those who also believe in Jesus, certainly including many of Abraham’s natural descent, right along with many who are Abraham’s seed through faith, as Paul so clearly said – ONE new man.
Be Strong. Then Daniel said, “As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me.” And he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!” So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”
This is God’s primary word to us throughout this series – “Be strong, yes, be strong.” Not in ourselves, but in the certainty of our confidence in Jesus inside of us making the Ancient of Days to be part of our lives.
Few things have given me more strength than to know that I share heart with all these individuals in the Old Testament.
Concerning Sam Fife. Something else has also happened inside of me as we have gone through this particular study, something wondrous.
As we have gone through, I have said many times, “Sam Fife preached this. Sam Fife preached this.” Let me explain what that means to me, for I have no desire to magnify Sam Fife or to send anyone his way.
In July of 1977, when I was twenty years old, I heard a word preached by Sam Fife on tape, a word out from the Old Testament, concerning “the mystery of a man with a maid.” I thought it was utterly WRONG, but I could not stay away from my Bible until I knew.
The Heavens Opened. Two weeks later, my eyes opened, and I saw the metaphor of the reproduction of life as the ruling metaphor of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.
It was only after that when I heard Sam Fife preach in person. Then, for the next seven years, I heard many words that he preached, both in person and on tape, that is, words that he had preached before my time. As I listened to these words inside the Holy of Holies anointing resting upon them, the heavens opened to me and I heard God my Father speaking His knowing into me.
Abraham, Jacob, Gideon, Elijah, Elisha, Esther, and others, all penetrated so deeply into me with power.
Mighty Understandings. The truth is, this was the same anointing that came on me through the seven years I sat in Lakewood Church services, the heavens opening to me on a regular basis and God placing into me mighty understandings of truth.
It was neither Sam Fife nor Lakewood Church nor me, but God. More than that, I had no idea how these mighty things could ever be fulfilled in me, but I wanted God to include me, if it could be possible.
I have filtered Sam Fife, sharing with you only that which was God speaking to me, yet when I said that his word on Esther, coming up, was all pertinent to us now, I finally realized a most wondrous thing.
God Does What He Says. I realized that, in fact, those mighty things I heard, and hoped beyond hope would become part of my life, have become part of how I see and know everything.
And these things have become real inside of you as well, with me, as a result of this present study.
And so I hear these words as Jesus inside my heart, “Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!” And I am strengthened, and I say, “Let my Lord speak, for You have strengthened me.” And then I read the news, and I KNOW that God does what He says in our lives.
To Anoint the Most Holy. Let’s go through Daniel’s primary vision. Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
I have no patience for those who “figure out the schedule.” Nonetheless, I understand that, figuring a “week” as seven years places the coming of Jesus into this framework.
Our primary concern is with the last point above – to anoint the Most Holy. This is the same as the Ancient of Days sitting down upon His prepared throne – our hearts.
Where We Are. To anoint the Most Holy is the same word as in 1 Peter 1, Set your hope fully upon the carrying GRACE inside of the revelation of Jesus Christ. This is a precise description of where we find ourselves, seized into God and into His throne.
Then He shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
The popular view is to ascribe this line to “the Antichrist,” something absurd that is not of God. “Anti-Christ” is the denial that Jesus is the Christ, come now in our flesh, found in so many today.
A Body Prepared. This one line, however, keeps me thinking that there will be a specific 3 ½ years of the second witness of Christ in completion of a 7 year ministry marked in the middle by the resurrection of Jesus – which brought an end to sacrifice and offering.
Therefore, coming into the world, He says, “Sacrifice and offering you have not desired, but a body you have fitted together for me. You have not thought well of burnt offerings and offerings for sin.” Then I said, “Behold, I have come, in the scroll of the book it is written of me, to do that which You desire, O God” (Hebrews 10).
Receive the Messiah. Then Jesus said this, “I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Matthew 23:39).
Here is the same word again. – Therefore receive one another, with strong personal interest, in exactly the same way that Christ received you (Romans 15).
No “Pharisee” and no “Christian Zionist” will ever see the Messiah until they are willing to see Him as He is, meek and lowly of heart, inside His body prepared for Him, you and me, along with all other least believers in Jesus, loving one another with pure hearts fervently, the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ.
Reading for Next Time. The next lesson is titled “Two Prophets and a Temple.” It is the next two individuals chronologically, Haggai and Zechariah, speaking to Zerubbabel, of the line of David, who would have been king, and to Joshua, the High Priest.
Read Haggai 1 & 2 (the whole book) and Zechariah Chapters 1-4. Our focus will not be any outward events, but rather the fulfillment of Christ in His Church as Christian Community.
‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
Let’s Pray Together. In the verses we have quoted from Daniel there are several lines that are critical to us now and to our placement into those Communities of Christ that, I believe, are the stone that brings down everything false.
Those lines include “the Ancient of Days seated,” “judgment given in our favor,” and “to anoint the Most Holy.” We will include these things in our prayer.
“O Ancient of Days, You have taken our hearts as Your own, that our hearts might be Your Mercy Seat, Your throne. You are our Father, and our hearts are that fiery flame, for Your Energeia energeoes all that we are. Be seated, here, upon our hearts, O Ancient of Days.
In Our Favor. “O Ancient of Days, our Father, You have come into our wide open souls, and You have made a judgment IN OUR FAVOR, a judgment to LIFE. And that life, O Mighty One, is, to us, the gathering together of Your precious people into Christ Community.
“In that judgment, O Father, we call into our possession those properties of Yours that are appointed for this season of our lives, and we call into joy those precious believers in Jesus whom You have chosen to walk together with us in the arising of Your mighty Kingdom.
“And we know that our words go forth as a fiery stream, accomplishing all of Oour purposes together.
Anoint Our Gathering Together. “We are Your dwelling place, O Ancient of Days, Your Most Holy and everlasting habitation. We ask of You, inside Your favor, to anoint our gathering together with Your mighty anointing of all the fulfilment of Christ.
“You say to us, ‘Be strong,’ and we are strong inside of You. You say to us, ‘Possess the Kingdom,’ and we possess the Kingdom with all the authority given to Jesus Your Messiah and our very Life.
“We are Your Body, Lord Jesus, prepared for You in the gathering together of Christ Community. In the Pro-Knowing of God it is written of us; we have come to do all Your Desire, Lord Jesus, to be Your out-poured Love for the many.”