LESSON 7: THE REIGN OF CHRIST
IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE REIGN OF BELSHAZZAR (C. 547 BC), DANIEL SEES A PROPHETIC VISION CONCERNING THE COMING KINGDOM OF GOD DAN 7:1; SEE 1 PET 1:10-12; 2 PET 1:19-21.
THE INITIAL VISION OF BEASTS IS FOUNDATIONAL TO ALL THAT FOLLOWS, AS IT USES COMMON PROPHETIC ELEMENTS TO PREDICT AND ILLUSTRATE THE NATURE OF COMING WORLD KINGDOMS DAN 7:2-8. THE VISION BEGINS WITH FOUR WINDS AND A GREAT SEA WHICH PROBABLY REPRESENT THE UPHEAVAL IN SOCIETY THAT PRODUCES WORLD POWERS 7:2; SEE ISA 57:20; REV 13:1.
THE INITIAL VISION OF BEASTS IS FOUNDATIONAL TO ALL THAT FOLLOWS, AS IT USES COMMON PROPHETIC ELEMENTS TO PREDICT AND ILLUSTRATE THE NATURE OF COMING WORLD KINGDOMS DAN 7:2-8. IN THE VISION, FOUR GREAT BEASTS, WHICH ARE LATER IDENTIFIED AS FOUR KINGS (KINGDOMS), ARISE OUT OF THE SEA OF HUMANITY V. 3; SEE VV. 17, 23.
THE INITIAL VISION OF BEASTS IS FOUNDATIONAL TO ALL THAT FOLLOWS, AS IT USES COMMON PROPHETIC ELEMENTS TO PREDICT AND ILLUSTRATE THE NATURE OF COMING WORLD KINGDOMS DAN 7:2-8. THERE ARE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE DREAMS OF DANIEL 2 AND 7, BUT THOUGH THE PROPHECIES PREDICT THE SAME KINGDOMS, THEY FOCUS ON DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS.
THE INITIAL VISION OF BEASTS IS FOUNDATIONAL TO ALL THAT FOLLOWS, AS IT USES COMMON PROPHETIC ELEMENTS TO PREDICT AND ILLUSTRATE THE NATURE OF COMING WORLD KINGDOMS DAN 7:2-8. THE FIRST BEAST IS LIKE A LION AND AN EAGLE, ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE GREATNESS OF BABYLON YET EVEN IT IS EVENTUALLY SUBDUED V. 4; SEE JER 4:7; 50:17; HAB 1:8; EZEK 17:3, 12.
THE INITIAL VISION OF BEASTS IS FOUNDATIONAL TO ALL THAT FOLLOWS, AS IT USES COMMON PROPHETIC ELEMENTS TO PREDICT AND ILLUSTRATE THE NATURE OF COMING WORLD KINGDOMS DAN 7:2-8. THE SECOND BEAST IS LIKE A BEAR, WHICH IS NOT AS MAJESTIC AS THE LION BUT IS SEEMINGLY JUST AS FEROCIOUS AND REPRESENTS THE UNBALANCED KINGDOM OF THE MEDES AND PERSIANS V. 5.
THE INITIAL VISION OF BEASTS IS FOUNDATIONAL TO ALL THAT FOLLOWS, AS IT USES COMMON PROPHETIC ELEMENTS TO PREDICT AND ILLUSTRATE THE NATURE OF COMING WORLD KINGDOMS DAN 7:2-8. THE THIRD BEAST IS LIKE A FOUR-HEADED, FOUR- WINGED LEOPARD INDICATING SWIFTNESS, POWER, BUT ALSO DIVISION WHICH ADEQUATELY DESCRIBES THE GRECIAN EMPIRE V. 6.
THE INITIAL VISION OF BEASTS IS FOUNDATIONAL TO ALL THAT FOLLOWS, AS IT USES COMMON PROPHETIC ELEMENTS TO PREDICT AND ILLUSTRATE THE NATURE OF COMING WORLD KINGDOMS DAN 7:2-8. FINALLY, THE FOURTH BEAST IS DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE BEASTS THAT ARE BEFORE IT AND IS PROBABLY THE MOST FRIGHTENING, PICTURING WELL THE ROMAN EMPIRE VV. 7-8.
UNLIKE THE OTHER BEASTS, BABYLON, MEDO- PERSIA, AND GREECE, THAT ARE MERELY SUBDUED AND SUBSUMED, THE FOURTH BEAST, ROME, IS FULLY AND FINALLY JUDGED BY GOD DAN 7:9-12. THE VISION SHIFTS FROM THE BEASTS TO GOD, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE OF HIS ENEMIES, AND TO HIS DIVINE NATURE ETERNAL, SUPREME, HOLY, AND JUST SEE DEUT 4:24; PS 97:3.
UNLIKE THE OTHER BEASTS, BABYLON, MEDO- PERSIA, AND GREECE, THAT ARE MERELY SUBDUED AND SUBSUMED, THE FOURTH BEAST, ROME, IS FULLY AND FINALLY JUDGED BY GOD DAN 7:9-12. THE JUDGMENT OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE SEEMS TO BE DESCRIBED BOTH IN DANIEL AND REVELATION, FORETELLING ITS COMPLETE DESTRUCTION BY GOD SEE REV 13:1-2; 19:19-20; 10:1-7.
THE FOCAL POINT OF THE VISION IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF CHRIST (MESSIAH) WHO IS REPRESENTED AS ONE LIKE A SON OF MAN DAN 7:13-14. THOUGH THE IDENTITY OF THE ONE LIKE A SON OF MAN IS HIDDEN IN THE VISION OF DANIEL, THIS FIGURE CAN EASILY BE RECOGNIZED AS JESUS SEE DAN 2:44-45; REV 12:5; PS 2:7-9.
THE FOCAL POINT OF THE VISION IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF CHRIST (MESSIAH) WHO IS REPRESENTED AS ONE LIKE A SON OF MAN DAN 7:13-14. BY FULFILLING THE ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD, JESUS DEFEATED THE POWERS OF SATAN AND WAS GIVEN THE KINGDOM OF GOD VV. 13-14; SEE MATT 28:18; HEB 2:14-15.
THE FOCAL POINT OF THE VISION IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF CHRIST (MESSIAH) WHO IS REPRESENTED AS ONE LIKE A SON OF MAN DAN 7:13-14. THERE IS A SENSE IN WHICH THE UNCONQUERABLE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM WAS NOT FULLY REALIZED UNTIL THE ROMAN EMPIRE WAS JUDGED BY CHRIST SEE REV 17:1-18; 19:11-21.
THE DRAMATIC NATURE OF THE VISION LEAVES DANIEL DISTRESSED AND ALARMED, SO HE IS PROVIDED FURTHER EXPLANATION OF THE BEASTS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD DAN 7:15-28. IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT THE INTERPRETATION SHIFTS FROM THE SEA TO THE EARTH, WHICH SEEMS TO EMPHASIZE THE ORIGIN AND NATURE OF THE BEASTS RESPECTIVELY V. 17.
THE DRAMATIC NATURE OF THE VISION LEAVES DANIEL DISTRESSED AND ALARMED, SO HE IS PROVIDED FURTHER EXPLANATION OF THE BEASTS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD DAN 7:15-28. IN CONTRAST TO THE BEASTS, THE SAINTS OF THE HIGHEST ONE ARE LINKED TO THE SON OF MAN, RECEIVING AND POSSESSING THE DIVINE KINGDOM SEE LUKE 12:32.
THE DRAMATIC NATURE OF THE VISION LEAVES DANIEL DISTRESSED AND ALARMED, SO HE IS PROVIDED FURTHER EXPLANATION OF THE BEASTS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD DAN 7:15-28. THE MOST CONCERNING ASPECT OF THIS VISION SEEMS TO BE THE RISE OF THE FOURTH BEAST (ROME) BECAUSE OF THE BEAST S DISTINCT NATURE AND JUDGMENT V. 19.
THE DRAMATIC NATURE OF THE VISION LEAVES DANIEL DISTRESSED AND ALARMED, SO HE IS PROVIDED FURTHER EXPLANATION OF THE BEASTS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD DAN 7:15-28. ANY INTERPRETATION OF THE VISION MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH THE SYMBOLIC NATURE OF THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT AND NOT BE CONSTRUED AS LITERAL VV. 19-22.
THE DRAMATIC NATURE OF THE VISION LEAVES DANIEL DISTRESSED AND ALARMED, SO HE IS PROVIDED FURTHER EXPLANATION OF THE BEASTS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD DAN 7:15-28. THE HORNS OF THE FOURTH BEAST SEEM TO REPRESENT THE FULL NUMBER OF KINGS OVER THE ROMAN EMPIRE, WITH A SUB-SET THAT WAS INTENT ON DESTROYING GOD S PEOPLE VV. 24-25.
THE DRAMATIC NATURE OF THE VISION LEAVES DANIEL DISTRESSED AND ALARMED, SO HE IS PROVIDED FURTHER EXPLANATION OF THE BEASTS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD DAN 7:15-28. THOUGH THE SAINTS WOULD BE PERSECUTED BY ROME FOR A FIXED PERIOD OF TIME, GOD PROMISES THAT HIS PEOPLE WOULD BE VICTORIOUS IN THE MESSIAH VV. 25-27.
THE DRAMATIC NATURE OF THE VISION LEAVES DANIEL DISTRESSED AND ALARMED, SO HE IS PROVIDED FURTHER EXPLANATION OF THE BEASTS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD DAN 7:15-28. THE RISE AND FALL OF ROME IS NOT MERELY A MATTER OF HISTORICAL INTEREST, IT WAS THE ULTIMATE TEST IN PROVING THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AND CHRIST SEE REV 2:10.
CHRIST REIGNS OVER AND JUDGES THE WHOLE REALM OF MANKIND. WE MUST ENTRUST OURSELVES FULLY TO HIM SO THAT WE CAN BE A PART OF HIS KINGDOM SEE DAN 7:18, 22, 27; COL 1:13-14.
LESSON 8: SIN EMPOWERS THE WICKED
THE VISION OF DANIEL 8 BUILDS ON THE PREVIOUS, ELABORATING ON THE FATE OF THE LESS SIGNIFICANT WORLD POWERS OF MEDO-PERSIA AND GREECE DAN. 8:1. THE VISION OF DANIEL 7 FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON THE NATURE AND DESTINY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE AND ONLY BRIEFLY ADDRESSES THE RISE AND FALL OF THE MEDES, PERSIANS, AND GREEKS.
THE VISION OF DANIEL 8 BUILDS ON THE PREVIOUS, ELABORATING ON THE FATE OF THE LESS SIGNIFICANT WORLD POWERS OF MEDO-PERSIA AND GREECE DAN. 8:1. THE MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE SUCCEEDED THE BABYLONIAN, LASTING FROM 539 TO 331 BC, AND FOR THE MOST PART, IS PORTRAYED IN A POSITIVE LIGHT IN SCRIPTURE.
THE VISION OF DANIEL 8 BUILDS ON THE PREVIOUS, ELABORATING ON THE FATE OF THE LESS SIGNIFICANT WORLD POWERS OF MEDO-PERSIA AND GREECE DAN. 8:1. THE GRECIAN EMPIRE (334 146 BC) BEGAN WHEN ALEXANDER III RETALIATED AGAINST THE AGGRESSIVE MEDO-PERSIANS. THEY ARE RARELY VIEWED FAVORABLY IN THE OT.
THE VISION OF DANIEL 8 BUILDS ON THE PREVIOUS, ELABORATING ON THE FATE OF THE LESS SIGNIFICANT WORLD POWERS OF MEDO-PERSIA AND GREECE DAN. 8:1. BECAUSE OF THE ACCURACY OF THEN-FUTURE EVENTS, THE VISION OF DANIEL 8 MUST HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY GOD SEE 2 PET 1:19 21; ISA 46:9 11.
THE VISION OF DANIEL 8 AGAIN UTILIZES SYMBOLIC (APOCALYPTIC) LANGUAGE, INTENDING TO PREDICT THE FATE OF ISRAEL IN VIEW OF THEN-FUTURE WORLD POWERS DAN 8:2 14. DANIEL FIRST SEES A RAM WHICH IS DESCRIBED IN SIMILAR TERMS TO THE SECOND BEAST OF DANIEL 7. THIS RAM IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE MEDES AND PERSIANS 8:2 4; SEE V. 20.
THE VISION OF DANIEL 8 AGAIN UTILIZES SYMBOLIC (APOCALYPTIC) LANGUAGE, INTENDING TO PREDICT THE FATE OF ISRAEL IN VIEW OF THEN-FUTURE WORLD POWERS DAN 8:2 14. THEN DANIEL SEES A MALE GOAT WHICH IS DESCRIBED IN SIMILAR TERMS TO THE THIRD BEAST OF DANIEL 7. THIS MALE GOAT IS THE GRECIAN EMPIRE VV. 5 8; SEE V. 21.
THE VISION OF DANIEL 8 AGAIN UTILIZES SYMBOLIC (APOCALYPTIC) LANGUAGE, INTENDING TO PREDICT THE FATE OF ISRAEL IN VIEW OF THEN-FUTURE WORLD POWERS DAN 8:2 14. JUST AS THE FOURTH BEAST HAD A SMALL HORN THAT GREW UP FROM AMONG ITS TEN HORNS, SO ALSO GREECE HAS A SMALL HORN (ANTIOCHUS IV?) VV. 9 12.
THE VISION OF DANIEL 8 AGAIN UTILIZES SYMBOLIC (APOCALYPTIC) LANGUAGE, INTENDING TO PREDICT THE FATE OF ISRAEL IN VIEW OF THEN-FUTURE WORLD POWERS DAN 8:2 14. IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT THE POWER OF THE LITTLE HORN IS PROVIDENTIALLY GIVEN BY GOD TO PUNISH HIS PEOPLE FOR THEIR UNFAITHFULNESS SEE V. 12; ISA 10:5.
THE VISION OF DANIEL 8 AGAIN UTILIZES SYMBOLIC (APOCALYPTIC) LANGUAGE, INTENDING TO PREDICT THE FATE OF ISRAEL IN VIEW OF THEN-FUTURE WORLD POWERS DAN 8:2 14. WHILE THE LITTLE HORN IS REIGNING, THE PEOPLE OF GOD SUFFER FOR THEIR SINS, BUT AFTER AN APPROPRIATE TIME, THEY ARE RESTORED DAN 8:13 14.
IT SEEMS THAT GOD (CHRIST?) HIMSELF CALLS GABRIEL TO REVEAL THE MEANING OF THE VISION TO DANIEL TO RELIEVE AND ENLIGHTEN THE PROPHET DAN 8:15 27. THE INTERPRETATION EVIDENCES THE VISION S APOCALYPTIC NATURE, SINCE IT IS GIVEN BY A DIVINE MESSENGER AND DESCRIBES THE TIME OF THE END VV. 15 19; SEE MATT 24:14 15.
IT SEEMS THAT GOD (CHRIST?) HIMSELF CALLS GABRIEL TO REVEAL THE MEANING OF THE VISION TO DANIEL TO RELIEVE AND ENLIGHTEN THE PROPHET DAN 8:15 27. THE PROPHECY CLEARLY RELATES THE HISTORY OF WORLD POWERS BUT FOCUSES ON THE SIN (HELLENIZATION?) AND PUNISHMENT (ANTIOCHUS IV?) OF THE JEWS DAN 8:20 26.
IT SEEMS THAT GOD (CHRIST?) HIMSELF CALLS GABRIEL TO REVEAL THE MEANING OF THE VISION TO DANIEL TO RELIEVE AND ENLIGHTEN THE PROPHET DAN 8:15 27. THE REACTION OF DANIEL DEMONSTRATES THE FRIGHTENING AND CONFUSING NATURE OF THE VISION, BUT THAT GOD ALREADY KNEW THE END LIKELY ENCOURAGED THE PROPHET V. 27.
THE PURPOSE OF THE VISION WAS NOT EXCLUSIVELY TO ENCOURAGE DANIEL BUT PRIMARILY TO PREPARE FUTURE GENERATIONS FOR THE COMING TRIBULATION AND END SEE DAN 8:26.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE FACE IN THIS LIFE, GOD KNOWS AND IS IN CONTROL. WE MAY SUFFER WITH THE WICKED, BUT IF WE CONTINUE TO TRUST GOD, HE WILL SAVE US!
LESSON 9: PRAYER AND PROVIDENCE
WHEN WE FACE PERIODS OF TRANSITION AND TRIAL IN THIS LIFE, WE OFTEN TURN TO THE BIBLE FOR ANSWERS AND HOPE DAN 9:1-2; SEE JER 25:11-12; 29:10.
THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO PERSONAL AND NATIONAL SIN IS PRAYER, SPECIFICALLY CONFESSION AND SUPPLICATION, TO GOD DAN 9:3-19; SEE JAS 5:13-16. DANIEL RECOGNIZED GOD S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF HIS PEOPLE, RECOGNIZING THAT GOD HAD BEEN FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES SEE DEUT 28; LEV 26.
THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO PERSONAL AND NATIONAL SIN IS PRAYER, SPECIFICALLY CONFESSION AND SUPPLICATION, TO GOD DAN 9:3-19; SEE JAS 5:13-16. YET, WHEN DANIEL UNDERSTOOD THE PROPHECY OF JEREMIAH CONCERNING THE TIME OF THE EXILE, HE ASKED GOD TO FORGIVE HIM AND THE PEOPLE SEE JER 25:11-12; 29:10.
WHEN WE PRAY FOR WISDOM AND SALVATION, GOD ALWAYS ANSWERS POSITIVELY, AND HE MAY EMPLOY ANGELS TO MINISTER TO US DAN 9:20-23; SEE PS 34:15; JAS 1:5; 2 TIM 2:7; HEB 1:14.
IF WE REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND GOD S PLAN, HE WILL SHOW US HIS WILL, BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT WILL ALWAYS BE EASY TO UNDERSTAND DAN 9:24-27; SEE 2 PET 3:16. SINCE GABRIEL REFERS TO THE PROPHECY AS A VISION, IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT THE SEVENTY WEEKS SHOULD BE INTERPRETED AS A SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD SEE DAN 9:23.
IF WE REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND GOD S PLAN, HE WILL SHOW US HIS WILL, BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT WILL ALWAYS BE EASY TO UNDERSTAND DAN 9:24-27; SEE 2 PET 3:16. THE PERIOD OF SEVENTY WEEKS BEGAN WHEN CYRUS PERMITTED THE JEWS TO RETURN TO JERUSALEM AND ENDED WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM DAN 9:25-26; SEE MATT 24:15.
IF WE REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND GOD S PLAN, HE WILL SHOW US HIS WILL, BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT WILL ALWAYS BE EASY TO UNDERSTAND DAN 9:24-27; SEE 2 PET 3:16. THERE IS A SENSE IN WHICH THE SPIRITUAL EXILE OF THE PEOPLE CONTINUED UNTIL THE TIME OF THE MESSIAH, WHEN HE BORE THE CURSE AND SAVED THEM DAN 9:24; SEE GAL 3:10-14.
THE ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY JESUS CHRIST, AND IF WE DEVOTE OURSELVES TO HIM, HE WILL SAVE US FROM OUR SINS SEE EPH 3:10-11.
LESSON 10: SPIRITUAL WARFARE
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A TERRIBLE, SPIRITUAL CONFLICT BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN, AND ONLY GOD S WORD CAN EQUIP US FOR THE BATTLE SEE EPH 6:10-17. THE FINAL MESSAGE GIVEN TO DANIEL CAME SOMETIME AFTER THE EXILES RETURNED TO JERUSALEM, DANIEL HIMSELF HAVING REMAINED IN BABYLON DAN 10:1; SEE V. 4.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A TERRIBLE, SPIRITUAL CONFLICT BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN, AND ONLY GOD S WORD CAN EQUIP US FOR THE BATTLE SEE EPH 6:10-17. DANIEL WAS SHOWN A VISION CONCERNING THE FUTURE OF HIS PEOPLE, THAT THERE WOULD BE GREAT CONFLICT BEFORE (AND AFTER) THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH DAN 10:1.
WHEN WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE, WE OUGHT TO HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE GOD AND PRAY, AWAITING HIS ANSWER AND RECOGNIZING THE SPIRITUAL WAR AROUND US DAN 10:2-21. THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS POSSESS (OR HAVE POSSESSED) POWER IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM, EVEN OVER WORLD POWERS, AND THEY THUS BATTLE AGAINST GOD SEE REV 13:1-2.
WHEN WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE, WE OUGHT TO HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE GOD AND PRAY, AWAITING HIS ANSWER AND RECOGNIZING THE SPIRITUAL WAR AROUND US DAN 10:2-21. WE MUST, THEREFORE, STAND FIRM AGAINST THE FORCES OF EVIL, EQUIPPING OURSELVES WITH THE ARMOR OF GOD, PRAYING AGGRESSIVELY, AND WAITING PATIENTLY EPH 6:10-18.
THOUGH WE ARE OFTEN IGNORANT OF HOW GOD AND SATAN ARE USING WORLD POWERS, WE CAN REST ASSURED THAT GOD IS ACTIVE AND SOVEREIGN DAN 11:1-45. THE PREDICTIONS OF DANIEL 11 ARE SOME OF THE MOST DETAILED (EXPLICIT) OF ANY OF THE PROPHECIES OF THE BIBLE, RELATING EVENTS OF THE INTERTESTAMENTAL PERIOD.
THOUGH WE ARE OFTEN IGNORANT OF HOW GOD AND SATAN ARE USING WORLD POWERS, WE CAN REST ASSURED THAT GOD IS ACTIVE AND SOVEREIGN DAN 11:1-45. FOR A DETAILED SUMMARY (AND POSSIBLE INTERPRETATION) OF DANIEL 11, SEE A COMMENTARY ON DANIEL BY HOMER HAILEY.
REGARDLESS OF THE DIFFICULTIES WE FACE AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD, WE WILL BE REWARDED IF WE FAITHFULLY SERVE THE LORD TO THE END DAN 12:1-13; SEE 2 TIM 4:6-8; 2 COR 4:16-18.
WHEN WE RECOGNIZE THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN, WE WILL NOT COMPROMISE OUR CONVICTIONS (CHAP. 1) BUT WILL RECOGNIZE HIS POWER OVER EVEN THE STRONGEST POWERS (2). ARMED WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE, WE WILL BE PREPARED TO DIE FOR THE LORD S CAUSE (3). BUT THIS REQUIRES THAT WE HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE GOD (4) AND SHOW THE UTMOST REVERENCE FOR HIM (5). THROUGH RESOLUTE TRUST AND CONSTANT PRAYER, WE...
... WILL BE DELIVERED FROM ALL EVIL (6). IT IS CHRIST HIMSELF WHO CONQUERS EVEN THE STRONGEST OF ENEMIES (7). GOD ALLOWS THE WICKED TO GAIN POWER TO TEST AND SANCTIFY HIS PEOPLE (8). IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, GOD WILL FORGIVE US THROUGH JESUS CHRIST (9). THE COSMIC BATTLE AROUND US MAY BE FIERCE, BUT IF WE TRUST IN THE POWER AND PLAN OF GOD, WE WILL RECEIVE OUR REWARD (10-12).