Deeper Reflection
God’s people living under tyrants and suffering tribulations under
them can triumph – whether we are delivered from or destroyed
in tribulation. The triumph rests on a threefold confidence.We know the conclusion of evil. It is repeated in manifold ways in
Daniel that evil that comes through inhuman kings – no matter how great
and how long – will definitely come to an end: “he will be broken” (Dan 8:25),
“he will be found no more” (Dan 11:19), “yet he will come to his end” (Dan 11:45) and “all these events will be completed” (Dan 12:7).We know God’s calling for us: To be a suffering people – to be captured,
plundered, burned or killed (Dan 11:33). But in our suffering, we can be
strong as “people who know their God” (Dan 11:32), knowing that God
is purging and purifying us to become a sanctified (Dan 11:35; 12:10) and
shining people who “shine brightly” with heavenly brightness in the hostile
world (Dan 12:3). And we will be a steadfast people who “keep waiting
and attain to the 1,335 days” (Dan 12:12) – until we become a sovereign
people who “receive and possess the kingdom forever” from “the Ancient
of Days” (vv.13-14, 18, 27).We know who is in control. The tribulations under the tyrants in
Daniel 7 to 12 are all subject to and subsumed under “that which is decreed
will be done” (Dan 11:36; 9:26, 27) “at the appointed time” (Dan 11:27, 29, 35).We conclude Daniel with this theological-discipleship summary
statement: We can triumph in tribulations under tyrants when we
trust with tenacity in the One who is on the throne.