Daniel 8

Last Time

Daniel Had a Nightmare Vision of God Causing 4 Hybrid Beasts Coming Up Out of the Sea

Each Best Represented a Kingdom that Would Come from the Earth

The Last Beast was Terrifying and it Had a Little Horn that Persecuted God’s Holy People

Then a Human was Given Everlasting Authority and Rulership

And He Destroyed the Beast and Gave Authority and Dominion to His Holy People

It was a Hopeful Vision that Tells Us that Jesus Will One Day Destroy Everything that is Wicked

And His People Will Forever Be Taken Care of

Daniel 8

Now Daniel has Another Vision (Not a Dream) in the 3rd Year of Belshazzar’s Reign

This is About 2 Years After the Dream of Last Chapter

Daniel 8:2–4 (NASB)

I looked in the vision, and while I was looking I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal.

Then I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last.

I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before him nor was there anyone to rescue from his power, but he did as he pleased and magnified himself.

In a Vision, Daniel Finds Himself in the Palace of Susa in Elam Beside the Ulai Canal

Susa was a Fortress City About 200 Miles East of Babylon

Then He Saw a Powerful Ram with 1 Horn Longer than the Other Attacking to the West, North, and South

He was Very Pleased with Himself

Daniel 8:5–8 (NASB)

While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.

He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath.

I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power.

Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

So There was a Ram From the East, and Now There’s a Goat From the West

It Had a Weird Horn Right Between Its Eyes

It Rushed Toward the Ram So Fast that Its Feet Didn’t Even Hit the Ground and it was Full of Wrath

The Goat Obliterated the Ram and Then Magnified Itself

But Then Suddenly, Its Horn Broke Off and 4 Others Came Up in its Place Facing in All 4 Directions

Daniel 8:9–14 (NASB)

Out of one of them came forth a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land.

It grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down.

It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down.

And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper.

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?”

He said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored.”

One Horn Grew Up Toward the South East, Toward Beatiful Palestine

It Grew Up to the Stars and Made Them Fall to the Ground and Then Stomped on Them

It Magnified Itself to Be Equal with the Commander/Prince of the Stars

It Stopped the Sacrifices and Threw Down the Holy Place/Temple

It Will Even Throw Truth to the Ground

It Will Do Just About Whatever it Wants

But Then Daniel Heard 2 Holy Ones Speaking

One Asked the Other How Long this Trampling and Throwing Down Will Last

The Answer: 2,300 Evenings and Mornings

After that, the Holy Place/Temple will be Restored

Daniel Wanted to Understand the Vision

But He Then One Who Looked Like a Human was Standing Near Him and He Told the Angel Gabriel to Help Daniel Understand

Daniel Fell on His Face and was Told by Gabriel that the Vision Pertains to “the Time of the End”

Not the End of the World, But the End of a Period of Time

Daniel 8:18–22 (NASB)

Now while he was talking with me, I sank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and made me stand upright.

He said, “Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end.

“The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

“The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

“The broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.

The Vision Apparently Pertains to the Time of the End of God’s Punishment (“Indignation”) On His People

The Ram Represents Media and Persia

The Horn Larger than the Other Would Represent Persia

Cyrus’ Persia Conquered the Great Kingdom of Media and Fused Them Together

Medo-Persia Came from the East, Conquering Western, Northern, and Southern Territories

It was Powerful and Very Pleased with Itself

The Goat Represents the Kingdom of Greece

The Horn Between its Eyes Represents Alexander the Great

Greece Were Outraged at Persia’s Failed Attempts to Conquer Them

Alexander’s Greece Conquered All of Persia and Still More

But He Died at Age 32 at the Height of World Power

Greece was Divided Up into 4 Kingdoms, Ruled By Alexander’s 4 Generals

But They Never Were as Great as Alexander’s Greece

Daniel 8:23–25 (NASB)

“In the latter period of their rule, When the transgressors have run their course, A king will arise, Insolent and skilled in intrigue.

His power will be mighty, but not by his own power, And he will destroy to an extraordinary degree And prosper and perform his will; He will destroy mighty men and the holy people.

And through his shrewdness He will cause deceit to succeed by his influence; And he will magnify himself in his heart, And he will destroy many while they are at ease.

He will even oppose the Prince of princes, But he will be broken without human agency.”

In the Latter Period of Greece’s Rule, God’s Indignation is Going to Be Against His People for Their Transgressions

The Little Horn that Became Great Represents a King that Would Come from One of the 4 Kingdoms of Greece

His Name was Antiochus IV

He was Determined, Unyielding, and Politically Savvy

He was Powerful, But He Received the Throne Through Dishonorable Means

His Brother was Assassinated and Antiochus Put His Brother’s Son in Prison so He Could Assume the Throne

He Oversaw Successful Campaigns to the South, East, and Beautiful Palestine

He Destroyed Many of God’s Holy People

Even Doing So Through Deceit

Once He Told Jerusalem that He Wanted Peace and Then Launched a Surprise Attack Against Them

Another Time He Massacred Many Jews On a Sabbath Day, Recognizing that They Wouldn’t Fight Back on the Day of Rest

He Lifted Himself Up in His Own Mind to the Position of God

He Assumed the Title “Theou Epiphanes” = God Manifest/Revealed

He Threw Truth to the Ground By Having Torah Scrolls Burned

He Raided the Temple of its Treasures and Suspended the Entire System of Temple Worship, Including Sacrifices, Feasts, and Practices Like Circumcision

He Profaned the Altar and Temple by Sacrificing a Pig

This was a Spitting in the Face of God to the Jews

But Antiochus Epiphanes Would Be Broken Without Human Hands

Just as God Gave Him Power for His Own Will, He Would Take it Away

He Started Suffering Losses in Several Areas, Including the Maccabees in Judea

Realizing that His World was Crumbling Around Him, He Became Sick

On His Deathbed, He Confessed that this Calamity was Sent Upon Him for the Miseries He had Brought Upon the Jewish Nation

Daniel is Told to Keep the Vision Secret Because it Pertains to the Distant Future

After the Vision, Daniel was Exhausted and Sick

But He Had to Get Back to Working for the Babylonian King

Application

I Know this First Application is Going to Sound Like a Broken Record in this Series of Daniel

But it is So Important for Us to See it and Grasp it

God Is In Control

Do We Believe that to Be True?

The Jewish People Were Sent into Babylonian Exile Because of Their Sins

God Gave Nebuchadnezzar His Magnificent Power

And We Saw How Easily God Could Take it Away By Humiliating Nebuchadnezzar

God Then Brought Cyrus to Power in Order to Send His People Back Home

He Then Gave Alexander Amazing Power to Spread Greek Language and Culture Throughout the World

Then He Gave Antiochus Power to Persecute and Discipline His People Because of Their Wickedness

Every Powerful President and Dictator, Whether Good or Evil, Sits in the Palm of God’s Hand

Not Event the Devil Himself Can Do Anything Without God’s Permission

God is in Complete Control Over World Affairs

Whatever Comes, Whether Good or Bad, Christians Can Know that God is in Control

If Persecution Comes, We Can Know that God Has Allowed it for Our Purifying and Strengthening

That Brings Me a Lot of Peace, Because it Allows Me to Live My Life in Peace

I Don’t Have to Worry About World Affairs, Corrupt Governments, or Wicked Regimes

I Know My Holy Father is in Charge of it All

And He Will Work Out All Things to the Benefit of His People

Gabriel’s Greatest Mission

Gabriel was Chosen to Play a Special Part in Announcing God’s Great Persecuter of His Unfaithful People

But That Wasn’t His Greatest Mission

150 Years Later, Gabriel was Chosen to Announce the Birth of a Child to the Priest, Zechariah

He Would Be Great in the Sight of God

His Name Would Be John, and He Would Be the Greatest Prophet Ever Born

But That Wasn’t Gabriel’s Greatest Mission

Gabriel’s Greatest Mission was When He was Chosen to Announce the Birth of Another Child

But Not Just Any Child

God’s Child

He Would Become the Savior of the Entire World

And He Would Ascend to the Throne of Heaven to Be King Over God’s Eternal Kingdom

Look What is Said of this King in Relation to the Powers of the World

Psalm 2 (NASB)

Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing?

The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against YHWH and against His Anointed, saying,

“Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”

He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.

Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

“I will surely tell of the decree of YHWH: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.

‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’ ”

Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship YHWH with reverence And rejoice with trembling.

Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

Not Only is Our God in Control…

But Our King is Coming Back Some Day to Destroy the Oppressors, the Wicked, and Those Who Hurt His People

Whatever Things Happen in this Life, We Can Know that Our God is in Control and His Will Not Allow Evil to Go Unpunished