Daniel 10:12-14 Then he said to me, “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. 13 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. 14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days [acharit hayamim (in the end of days), for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”
Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world’s rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Make no mistake—the spirit of antisemitism is very much alive today. Yet this isn’t a new struggle. It is an ancient spiritual war that has been ongoing for thousands of years. As people worldwide celebrate Purim, recalling the Jewish people’s deliverance from Haman’s evil schemes that took place in the ancient Kingdom of Persia (Iran), we are reminded of a deeper reality: a spiritual conflict between heavenly powers and demonic principalities.
In Daniel’s time, this battle was clearly depicted as the Principality of Persia waged war against the angels of God, delaying Daniel’s answer to prayer for twenty-one days.
When the Apostle Paul wrote of our battle being not against flesh and blood but against spiritual principalities, I firmly believe he was recalling this ancient conflict revealed to Daniel. The very same spiritual enemy who opposed God’s people then continues to oppose Israel today.
When we witness this in the rhetoric and actions of modern-day Iranian leaders who openly call for Israel’s destruction, this is not just geopolitics; it’s the continuation of the spiritual war that was present in Esther’s day, a prophetic battle outlined long ago.
This ongoing struggle reaffirms the truth and power of our faith. The persistent hatred towards the Jewish people testifies to the existence of our God. The unrest and conflict we see today in the Middle East serve as undeniable evidence of Daniel’s prophecy unfolding before our eyes. Indeed, these are signs of the “acharit hayamim,” the end of days.
So let us grasp this truth clearly: the conflict Israel faces physically is, in reality, a spiritual war.
We have been divinely positioned, just like Esther, for such a time as this. (Esther 4:14) And like the sons of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12:32), who understood their times and knew precisely what Israel should do, we too must discern our role in God’s prophetic plan.
Let us rise boldly in this hour! Stand firm in prayer, passionately seeking God’s divine purposes for Israel and the Middle East. Remember, we have indeed been born for this very moment in history — for such a time as this!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]The expectation of the coming Kingdom of God is intimately connected with the restoration of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. The preceding passage describes Zion in labor, as once again, we find the metaphor of birth used to convey this scriptural promise. It is a national gestation which will not be aborted, but will come to fruition. But first, before this labor begins…a “male child” is born… This can be none other than Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah, Israel’s King, Himself, arriving beforehand, (on a donkey, at that), quite some time before the labor which gives birth to the nation; and causing the prophet to wonder if a nation can be born in a day.
Yesterday, we began our series of devotions focused on the birthing of the Kingdom. Continuing to develop these insights, let’s look at day 2 of creation and its focus upon water.
Here’s an interesting fact about American church history that you may not know. Years ago, when the first New England churches were designed, they were built with clear windows rather than the stained glass ones we see so often today — and the graveyard was usually built in the churchyard, which would normally be seen from the pulpit. Why?
For several years now, I’ve been focusing on the Kingdom of God, a central theme of Yeshua’s preaching [Luke 4:43], and will be offering a series of devotions on this topic with particular emphasis on our present season, which I believe portends the birthing of this Kingdom. A study of the gestation process from conception to birth yields insight as a natural parallel into the historical process we’re witnessing and taking part in. This theme will be developed in the coming days.
One of the sacrifices mentioned in the Tenach (Old Testament) is mentioned as a Peace sacrifice or sometimes translated as the Thanksgiving sacrifice. It is known as the ‘shalem’ sacrifice. The root behind this word is the word ‘shalom’ whereby we get the word, peace.
From the beginning of Genesis (Genesis 4:4) to the end of the Bible (Revelation 22:3), there is a common theme — the Lamb! In Revelation 6 we read about the Lamb who sits in the midst of the throne — worshiped by all of heaven because the Lamb was worthy to take the book and open the seals therein. The most harmless of creatures — the object of sacrifice, becomes the authority of heaven. Isn’t it interesting that the focal point of heaven is a Lamb?
So often in ministry, the Lord deals with my own spirit, saying – “You need to step back and get refocused!” And we all know how hard it is at times when we get so busy with the normal every day stresses of life tugging at our limited time.