Sermon Tone Analysis

Wenstrom Bible Ministries

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Wednesday September 11, 2013

www.wenstrom.org

Daniel: Daniel 8:27-Daniel’s Response to the Vision and Its Interpretation

Lesson # 254

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.

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.”

(Author’s translation)

Daniel 8:27 Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days.

Then I got up again and carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it.

(NASB95)

“Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days” presents the next event that took place after Gabriel had finished communicating to Daniel the interpretation of the vision he received from God.

“Was exhausted and sick” is composed of the verb hā∙yā(h) (הָיָה) (haw-yaw), “was exhausted” and the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the verb ḥā·lā(h) (חָלָה) (khaw-law´), “sick.”

The verb hā∙yā(h) denotes existing in a certain state or condition, which is identified by the verb ḥā·lā(h), which means “to be exhausted, to be worn out,” i.e. in need of rest.

Most translations and interpreters interpret the verb hā∙yā(h) as meaning “to be exhausted” but this is not the case since it simply denotes Daniel being caused by the vision to enter a particular state, which is defined by the verb ḥā·lā(h).

So the latter means “to be exhausted” while the former simply emphasizes the state of Daniel without reference to whether he was exhausted or not.

The conjunction wa is used to join the verbs hā∙yā(h) and ḥā·lā(h), in order to communicate one idea, which is called “hendiadys.”

Therefore, these two words express one idea, namely that was in a state of exhaustion because of the vision and Gabriel’s interpretation of it.

“Then I got up again and carried on the king’s business” presents the next event that took place after Daniel was in a state of exhaustion for days because of the vision and Gabriel’s interpretation of the vision.

“But I was astounded at the vision” has a concessive force to it meaning that “despite the fact” that he went back to work for the king, Daniel was still astonished by what he saw and heard in the vision and Gabriel’s interpretation of the vision.

It denotes that “although” he went back to work for Belshazzar, Daniel was still greatly disturbed by the entire experience.

“I was astounded” is the verb šā·mēm (שָׁמֵם) (shaw-mame´), which means “to be overcome with amazement and horror, to be dismayed” in the sense of being unnerved by arousing fear, apprehension, or aversion.

It implies that one is disconcerted and at a loss as to how to deal with something.

Here the word expresses the fact that Daniel was dismayed in the sense that he was unnerved by the vision and its interpretation which aroused fear and apprehension in him or aversion to what he experienced.

It is implying that he was disconcerted and at a loss as to how to deal with this revelation from God.

“At the vision” is composed of the preposition ʿǎl (עַל) (ʿǎl), “at” and its object is the noun mǎr∙ʾě(h) (מַרְאֶה) (mar-eh), “the vision.”

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

This noun is also the object of the preposition ʿǎl, which is a marker of reason indicating that Daniel was dismayed “because” of this revelation from God.

“And there was none to explain it” is a temporal clause indicating that Daniel was dismayed because of the vision “while” having absolutely no understanding of it.

“There was none to explain it” is composed of the adverb ʾǎ·yin (אַיִן) (ah´-yin), “there was none” and then we have the verb bîn (בִּין) (bene), “to explain.”

The verb bîn means “to understand, to have knowledge of a particular subject” referring to a human being or angel having an understanding of the vision and the interpretation given to Daniel by the angel Gabriel.

The verb is negated by the marker of emphatic negation ʾǎ·yin in a declaration indicating that Daniel was by no means in a state of understanding the vision and its interpretation.

The word can be interpreted as a substantive indicating that “there was no one” or “there was none” who could understand the vision and its interpretation implying that Daniel sought out someone to give him understanding regarding the vision.

However, this interpretation of the word is highly unlikely since if Gabriel could not give Daniel understanding certainly no other human being or angel could do so as well.

Daniel 8:27 Immediately after this, I myself, Daniel was in a state of exhaustion for days.

Then, I got up in order to perform the king’s business.

However, I was dismayed because of this revelation while having absolutely no understanding of it.

(My translation)

As he did in Daniel 7:27 after receiving a vision from God and its interpretation from Gabriel during the first year of Belshazzar’s reign, Daniel here in Daniel 8:27 briefly provides the reader with a short postscript which describes the emotional and physical toll him on after receiving a vision from God and its interpretation from Gabriel during the third year of Belshazzar’s reign.

The vision affected Daniel mentally or emotionally because he was emotionally and physically exhausted from the experience.

Daniel informs the reader that he was in a state of exhaustion for days but then got up in order performed his duties on behalf of Belshazzar.

The fact that Daniel returns to his job of serving Belshazzar despite having received such a great revelation from God reveals something about the character of Daniel and gives us a great example as church age believers to follow.

The fact that he returned to his job despite the enormous revelation given to him by God reveals the humility of Daniel and his faithfulness.

He faithfully went back to the mundane task of serving a wicked king.