Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision
appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the
first.
Here we are still in Babylon and Daniel has another vision. It could be that the
book is divided this way so that most of the prophecy and visions by Daniel are
at the end of the book and the historical accounts of events during the 70 years
of captivity are at the beginning except for chapter 2 which tells of
Nebuchadnezzar's vision which was interpreted by Daniel. That had to be placed
there because it showed how Daniel and his friends got positions of importance
in Babylon when they originally were mere slaves and children of the captivity.
Dan 8:2 And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at
Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision,
and I was by the river of Ulai.
In his vision he found himself by a river although he was in reality in the
palace showing us that he still occupies an important position in Babylon even
though the king is Nebuchadnezzar's grandson instead of the one who gave Daniel
a prominent position in the kingdom.
Dan 8:3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before
the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was
higher than the other, and the higher came up last.
Again we see the vision of Media and Persia coming to destroy the Babylonian
Empire. The Medes and the Persians are symbolized first as part of
Nebuchadnezzar's image as the arms and breast of silver, then as a bear in
chapter 7 and now we see them as a ram with 2 horns. The horns are Media and
Persia or the kings of Media and Persia.
Dan 8:4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that
no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out
of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.
When God does not restrain powerful kings and kingdoms their strength is so
strong none can oppose them. That is why I keep saying the United States should
be very careful not to think itself too highly. At God's word, they can be no
more. What were those people thinking that allowed prayer and bible reading to
be taken from the schools in the early 1960s. They must have been out of their
minds. At His word kingdoms rise and fall.
Dan 8:5 And as I was considering, behold, a he goat came from the west on the
face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable
horn between his eyes.
This verse verifies what I said before. No matter how big and powerful a nation
becomes at the word of God, it can and will fall. Here comes Alexander the Great
swiftly and very strong. He overthrows with violence the kingdom of Media and
Persia. Their authority is gone very quickly. A new king arises. The Grecian
Empire is symbolized by the belly and thighs of brass in Nebuchadnezzar's vision
and by a swift leopard with four heads in chapter 7. Not it is pictured as
a he goat with a notable horn. Later than horn was broken and became four
horns. Nothing lasts that is not permanently ordained by God as the
kingdom of Jesus Christ will be.
Dan 8:6 And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing
before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.
Dan 8:7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with anger
against him, and smote the ram, and broke his two horns: and there was no power
in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped
upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.
Dan 8:8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the
great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four
winds of heaven.
Alexander the Great died at the early age of 33. After him, four generals who
were previously under Alexander's authority, took authority over four divisions
of the Grecian Empire. We know these divisions now as Turkey, Greece, Syria and
Egypt. They pretended to take authority only until Alexander's son was old
enough to take the throne but in reality they wanted to keep the power. Later
someone killed the son and his mother and all other family members of Alexander.
.
Much fighting and confusion arose with murder, different kings ruling, more
murder until a man named Antiochus Ephiphanes became king. He obtained the
kingdom by flattery and deceit. He was similar to the latter day anti-christ
that is to arise in that he offered a swine upon the altar and defiled the
Jewish temple. He was not the actual anti-christ because this occurred years
before Jesus Christ came the first time. He was for us a hint of the one to come
in the latter days.
Dan 8:9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed
exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant
land.
This little horn is the anti-christ of the latter days. We see here an immediate
prophesy given to Daniel of the Media and Persian Empires defeating the
Babylonian Empire and then we see the Grecian Empire defeating the Medes and
Persians. Then we jump way ahead to the latter days to the coming of the
anti-christ who arises out of one of the four divisions of the Grecian Empire.
He probably will come out of either Greece, Turkey, Syria and Egypt.
Old Testament prophecy in Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel etc will often have an
immediate fulfillment as well as the latter day fulfillment. In Isaiah we see a
picture of both the 1st and 2nd coming of Christ but it will appear to be one of
the same with people in that day not seeing the great valley of time that
separates the two events. The reason we sometimes get confused about the rapture
and 2nd coming is because they are so close in time that it appears to be the
same event. Some believe them to be the same event and not separated by 7 years
but some believe the rapture and the 2nd coming to be separated by 7 years and
some believe 3 1/2 years.
Dan 8:10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down
some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
He will overcome many mighty armies and subdue all before him. Israel is
included in his conquest. It will seem as if he represents heaven and all its
host and it will seem at the time that not even God can oppose him. It may be
that he will seem to represent God. He will attempt to fool people into thinking
he is God. This host probably refers to the Jewish people and perhaps other
saints that are still alive on the earth, not the saints that are in heaven.
Dan 8:11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him
the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast
down.
Messing with the daily sacrifice is why some believe that Antiochus Ephiphanes
was the actual anti-christ but that is not so for Jesus hasn't returned yet and
I don't believe this man will rise from the dead but who knows? I believe he is
just another forerunner who came before the 1st coming of Christ. The real
anti-christ will come before the 2nd coming of Christ.
Dan 8:12 And a host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of
transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and
prospered.
So many will allow this man to do these things because they will be deceived by
their own sin and believe in this false messiah.
We see from this passages that the Jewish people will have built a temple and
will have started to offer sacrifices again upon the altar. There has to be a
temple and altar in place in order for the anti-christ to defile the temple and
remove the daily sacrifice. In order for the Jewish people to allow this, they
have to be deceived in some way. So we see that the anti-christ cannot arise
just yet because there is no temple and no daily sacrifice at this time,
November 17. 2007.
We know though from scriptures in Revelation that there are those that are not
deceived. Much of Israel will flee the anti-christ and be saved at the literal
2nd coming of Jesus Christ who will save them. It is interesting that the armies
of all within that vicinity come against Israel but the United States is not
there to save them. Jesus is the one that saves the nation of Israel from
total annihilation.
Dan 8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that
certain saint which spoke, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily
sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and
the host to be trodden under foot?
These saints talking here may be the two latter day witnesses that will come
during the great tribulation. It may be Enoch and Elijah. Elijah and Moses, or
someone else.
Dan 8:14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then
shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
This is a little short of 3 1/2 years. Some believe these daily sacrifices will
be taken away in the middle of the 7 year tribulation.
Dan 8:15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and
sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of
a man.
Dan 8:16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and
said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
Gabriel is one of the angels of God. He was the same angel that appeared to
Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist and also the one that was
sent to Mary and announced the coming of Jesus to take away the sins of the
people.
Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name
JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Dan 8:17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and
fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the
time of the end shall be the vision.
Dan 8:18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward
the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.
Dan 8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last
end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.
Dan 8:20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and
Persia.
Dan 8:21 And the rough goat is the king of Greece: and the great horn that is
between his eyes is the first king.
Dan 8:22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms
shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.
Dan 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are
come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark
sentences, shall stand up.
This shows that the Grecian kingdom will have an immediate fulfillment just
after Daniel's time on earth but then have a latter day fulfillment. We see that
perhaps not only will there be a revived Roman Empire but a revived Grecian
Empire within the Roman one at the same time. The four divisions will be from
where the anti-christ arises overthrowing three of them making the 10 kingdoms
in Revelation become 7 kingdoms. The anti-christ is the 8th and final one before
the coming of Christ.
Here is his description in chapter 7:
Dan 7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was
diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and
his nails of brass; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue
with his feet;
Dan 7:20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came
up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth
that spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
Dan 7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed
against them;
Dan 8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall
destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the
mighty and the holy people.
He comes in the power of the dragon or Satan. He will be strong and destroy even
overcome the saints that are still upon the earth mostly the Jewish people who
were saved during this time.
Here we see the reason this guy was able to deceive so well. Here we see the
danger of having our eyes upon riches and the so-called good life. Beware of the
American Dream also. Beware of this latter day prosperity doctrine. Please come
out from among those things for it will be a great deception in the latter days.
Many will think to prosper and be wealthy is a blessing from God and it will
deceive them into believing this anti-christ is the one sent from God and even
some will think he is God. He will obtain the kingdom by flatteries. He will
cause craft to prosper. The economy will be good.
Many people in the US vote according to their pocket books. This is a great
deception. Whoever promises us prosperity will be elected.
The economy of Germany was great in the days of Hitler. The economy will be
great in the days of this beast or anti-christ just enough to deceive many. Yet
look what happened to Germany. The end shall come and all the prosperity will
disappear. Do not seek the riches of this world or you will be deceived. Please
come out from among those things and be separate. Those things will pass away.
Only the treasure we lay up in heaven will last. Accumulate treasures here and
you will lose it.
Mat 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever
will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust
doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Dan 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his
hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy
many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be
broken without hand.
We see here that not only will craft or the economy prosper but he will use the
pretense of working for peace but in reality it will destroy many. We have so
many people claiming to work for peace in the Middle East but all of it is
leading up to this anti-christ who will probably be awarded the Nobel Peace
prize for his peace efforts. It is all a deception.
This man of sin will attempt to destroy even Jesus Christ when He returns.
Dan 8:26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is
true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.
Dan 8:27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up,
and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none
understood it.
If I would have been given this vision, I too would be overwhelmed and
astonished. It literally made Daniel sick to see all that would befall his
people in the latter days. He probably did not fully understand it. Yet we see
at the end of this vision he is assured that the man of sin, anti-christ or
little horn shall be broken without hand or in other words by the power of the
coming of Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord. No matter how dark the night becomes,
light, joy and victory comes in the morning. Hallelujah.
Daniel Chapter 9