October 5: WAIT AND SEE (part 2)
He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. Daniel 11:41
By the time this prophecy was given to Daniel, the three nations listed here no longer existed. Therefore, the reader is challenged to discern the symbolism here given by the One who knows the future.
During the wilderness wanderings, God forbade Israel from showing aggression to the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites—due to His promise to give lands to their ancestors, Esau and Lot. But during the heydays of these three, they rarely missed an opportunity to antagonize Israel. Considering their familial closeness to Israel as well as the nearness of territorial proximities, it seems incredible that they would oppose Israel with military force over such issues as a simple request to pass through their territory to reach a destination. But oppose, they did. In addition to closing their borders to Israel, they cruelly rejoiced over her misfortunes.
These descendants of Abraham knowingly chose a path of apostasy, opening the way for a spirit of animus and cruelty. The historical record reflects the destruction and assimilation of these three nations into surrounding cultures, starting with the loss of political autonomy. Though they did not disappear overnight (the Ammonites seemed to assert their culture the longest), their gradual dissolution is a fact of history. The loss of their identities was made certain by the Assyrians, Babylonians and Romans. Remember that ten of the twelve tribes of Israel also lost their identities through absorption into pagan cultures. Judah and Benjamin still remained in the area of Judea, and this is why we refer to Hebrew descendants of today as Jews. There was a time, cited through Hosea, of their faithfulness noted by God: “Ephraim has encircled Me with lies, And the house of Israel with deceit; But Judah still walks with God, Even with the Holy One who is faithful.” (Hosea 11:12) Note: it is due to His faithfulness and His Spirit that anyone will be led safely, day-by-day (a vital love relationship!) into life eternal.
Now we are considering those who shall escape from his hand – whose hand? The king of the North. Prophecy indicates that the king of the North will seek to overrun the entire world by deception (And all the world marveled and followed the beast. Revelation 13:3b) The power behind the king of the North wants people to believe that they are saved when they are actually lost. Could there be lost people alive in earth’s last days who are closely related, by blood or proximity, to the professed people of God (many of whom are apostates) who will successfully escape from [the] hand of the king of the North? Emphatically yes! They will believe the three angels’ message (Revelation 14:6-11); they will hear the fourth angel’s message* and recognize the voice from heaven that calls to each of them. Even those who are prominent by worldly standards will humble themselves and heed the call…gaining a newfound prominence in the heart of God.
*After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory… And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.” Revelation 18:1,4