Sermon Tone Analysis

Wenstrom Bible Ministries

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Tuesday September 10, 2013

www.wenstrom.org

Daniel: Daniel 8:26-Gabriel Instructs Daniel to Preserve the Vision and Its Interpretation Since It Pertains to the Future

Lesson # 253

Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 8:1.

Daniel 8:1 During the third year of Belshazzar’s reign, the king, a vision appeared to me, I, Daniel after the one appearing to me previously. 2 Indeed, I was staring because of this vision.

Specifically, I myself was in a trance like state staring as I myself was in Susa, the citadel, which was in the province of Elam.

Furthermore, I was staring because of this vision as I myself was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 Then, I lifted up my eyes and then I was staring as behold a ram was standing in front of the canal with it possessing two horns.

Furthermore, the two horns were long.

However, one was longer than the other with the longer one growing up last.

4 I saw this ram continually butting westward as well as northward and in addition southward as all the beasts could by no means stand in front of it.

Furthermore, none could deliver out from its power so that it acted according to its desire.

Indeed, it became great.

5 Then, I myself was in a trance like state as behold a male-goat who is ruler over the goats, was traveling from the west over the earth’s surface.

In fact, it was not touching the earth’s surface.

Also, this male-goat had a conspicuous horn between its eyes.

6 Next, it traveled up to the ram possessing two horns which I saw standing in front of the canal.

In fact, it charged against it in a powerful rage.

7 Consequently, I saw it wage an attack opposing this ram while causing itself to become enraged against it.

Indeed, it repeatedly struck this ram so as to shatter its two horns.

Also, there was no ability in the ram to stand in front of it.

Then, it drove it to the ground as well as trampled on it repeatedly.

Indeed, to the detriment of the ram, there was none who could deliver from its power.

8 So the male-goat who is the ruler over the goats was very great.

However, as soon as it became powerful, the unusual horn was broken.

Then, in its place, four conspicuous ones arose towards the heaven’s four winds.

9 Next, from one of them, a small horn in comparison emerged which grew excessively large toward the south as well as the east and in addition the beautiful land.

10 Specifically, it grew larger than the heaven’s host.

Indeed, it caused some of this host, yes some of these stars to fall to the earth.

Also, it trampled on them.

11 It even presented itself as great as the host’s Commander while taking away the daily sacrifice from Him so that His holy place was abandoned.

12 Consequently the host along with the daily sacrifice were delivered over to it through transgression.

Also, it caused the truth to be thrown to the ground.

Indeed, it executed, yes it succeeded.

13 Then I heard a holy one speaking and a holy one said to this particular one who was speaking, “How long is the vision, the daily sacrifice, specifically the transgression making desolate so as to deliver over both the sanctuary as well as the host to be trampled?”

14 Consequently he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings, and mornings.

Then, the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.”

15 Now, I was in a trance like state staring at this vision, which I, Daniel desired to understand as behold one like a man in appearance was standing directly in front of me.

16 Then, I heard a human being’s voice between the banks of the Ulai.

Indeed, it ordered and said “Gabriel, enable this one to understand the vision.”

17 Therefore, he approached my location.

Indeed, when he approached, I was terrified so that I fell upon my face.

Then, he said to me, “Please, understand descendant of Adam that the vision extends to the end time.”

18 Now while he was speaking with me for my benefit, I was caused to enter the state of being in a deep sleep with my face to the ground.

However, he touched me so that he caused me to stand upon my feet.

19 Then, he said, “Behold, I am about to cause you to know what will take place during the righteous indignation related to the end because the vision extends to an appointed period of time related to the end.

20 This ram which you saw possessing the two horns represents the kings ruling over Media as well as Persia.

21 Also, the male-goat, the shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece.

In addition, the unusual horn which was between its eyes represents the first king.

22 Furthermore, the one which was broken and in whose place four took its position, represents four kings taking its position from his nation but not by means of its power.

23 Then, during the latter part of their dynasty, following those who rebel being brought to their end, a bold-face king will take another’s position because of being a master of intrigue.

24 In fact, his power will be mighty but not by means of his power so that he will destroy for his own benefit to an extraordinary degree.

Indeed, he will execute, yes he will succeed.

Furthermore, he will destroy the mighty, specifically the holy people.

25 Also, because of his cunning, he will thus cause deceit to succeed by means of his power.

He will even be arrogant in his heart.

Furthermore, he will cause many while unaware to be killed.

He will even stand against the Ruler over the rulers.

However, he will be destroyed by no human power.”

(Author’s translation)

Daniel 8:26 “The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true; But keep the vision secret, for it pertains to many days in the future.”

(NASB95)

This verse is transitional meaning that it is marking a transition from the completion of the interpretation to Gabriel’s evaluation of the vision and its interpretation.

“The vision” is the noun mǎr∙ʾě(h) (מַרְאֶה) (mar-eh), which means “revelation, vision” referring to a revelation from God which is communicated to Daniel in visual images and verbal content.

“The evenings and mornings” refers to “2,300 evenings and mornings” which describes the reign of terror of the king represented by the small horn in the vision.

“True” is the noun ʾěměṯ (אֱמֶת) (eh´-meth), which means “truth” referring to truth in an objective sense as revelation of God’s will in relation to Israel, which is concerning the future of Israel from Daniel’s perspective in the sixth century B.C.

“But keep the vision secret, for it pertains to many days in the future” is a result clause indicating that the evenings and mornings revelation which was communicated to Daniel by Gabriel is truth, i.e. from God, “therefore” or “consequently” as for Daniel he must preserve this vision since it pertains to many days in the future.

Some like the NASB, NET, ESV, and NIV interpret this statement as adversative which would indicate that the evenings and mornings revelation which was communicated to Daniel by Gabriel is truth, i.e. from God, “however” or “but” as for Daniel he must preserve this vision since it pertains to many days in the future.

When Gabriel says to Daniel he must “seal” the vision, he does not mean keep it secret but rather he must preserved it in his mind and eventually in writing.

Therefore, these translations are interpreting this statement as marking a contrast between Gabriel telling Daniel the vision is truth from God and his sealing up the vision.

The implication being he was to do something unexpected, namely instead of sharing it, keep it sealed and keep it secret.

However it is better to interpret the statement as result since Gabriel is not commanding Daniel to keep the vision secret by sealing it but rather he wants him to preserve the vision in writing.

Not translated by the NASB95 is the independent personal pronoun ʾǎt·tā(h) (אַתָּה), which means “you” referring of course to Daniel.

It functions as a nominative absolute, which emphasizes Daniel as receiving a command from Gabriel to preserve the vision and its interpretation in writing.

“The vision” is the articular form of the noun ḥā·zôn (חָזוֹן) (khaw-zone´), which refers to the prophetic, supernatural revelation from God and describes an appearance of something in Daniel’s mind that was a supernatural revelation to communicate a truth to him, not seen as a sensory perception.

The noun denotes that Daniel received this revelation while he was in a trance or altered state of consciousness in which extrasensory audiovisual experiences, which were revelatory in character, were perceived by him.

“Keep secret” is the verb sā·ṯǎm (סָתַם) (saw-tham´), which means “to seal up” but not in the sense of keeping secret or concealing information but rather it means to make something secure by writing it on a scroll and placing a wax seal upon it, i.e. preserve in writing.

This interpretation is indicated by the fact that historically Daniel did in fact write down this vision on a scroll and it became a part of the Old Testament canon.

The verb contains the idea of keeping safe until the day it is needed, which would be in the second century B.C. when Antiochus Epiphanes IV fulfilled the prophecy of the small horn of the male-goat.

Further indicating this interpretation is correct is that if Gabriel wanted Daniel to conceal the vision he would have used the verb sā·ṯǎr (סָתַר) (saw-thar´), which means “to hide or conceal.”

Lastly, the verb sā·ṯǎm does not indicate that Gabriel wanted Daniel to conceal or hide the interpretation of the vision since God gave Daniel the vision to warn the faithful remnant in Israel living in the second century B.C. about this wicked king represented by the small horn.

God wanted to encourage them that this king would only persecute them for a certain period of time.

Therefore, this verb refers to the ancient practice of making a scroll secure and preserving it by sealing it with a wax seal.

The imperative mood of the verb sā·ṯǎm is an imperative of command meaning that with the authority given to him by the God of Israel Himself, Gabriel is ordering Daniel to preserve the vision and its interpretation in writing on a scroll and seal this scroll with a wax seal.

“For it pertains to many days in the future” presents the reason for the previous command for Daniel to seal up the vision.

“It pertains to many days in the future” is composed of the preposition lĕ (לְ) (leh) “pertains to” and its object is the masculine plural form of the noun yôm (יוֹם) (yome), “days” which is modified by the masculine plural form of the adjective rǎḇ (רַב) (rab), “many.”

The noun yôm is in the plural and means “days” and is modified by the noun rǎḇ which means “many” referring to a relatively large number and together, these two words mean “many days” in the sense of the future.

They denote that the fulfillment of the vision will take place many days after he received this vision and its interpretation from Gabriel, which is supported by the fact that the vision was fulfilled in the second century B.C. many years after the death of Daniel in the sixth century B.C.

Daniel 8:26 “Now, this evenings and mornings revelation which was communicated, is truth.

Therefore, as for you, seal up this vision because it pertains to the future.”

(My translation)

Here in verse 26, Gabriel affirms with Daniel that the vision he received from God and the interpretation he had given him were truth meaning that the revelation originated from God and was a revelation of His will for planet earth and the nation of Israel.

He then proceeds to command Daniel with the authority given to him by the God of Israel to seal up this vision because it pertains to many days in the future.

When Gabriel commands Daniel to seal up the vision, he does not mean to conceal or hide the contents of the vision and its interpretation but rather to preserve and keep it safe for the generation that will need it.

This would involve Daniel writing on a scroll the vision and its interpretation and then sealing that scroll with a wax seal.

Gabriel identifies the vision and its interpretation as “this evenings and mornings revelation.”

This alludes to an unidentified angel’s statement in the vision in verse 14 “For 2,300 evenings and mornings.

Then, the sanctuary will be reconstructed.”