Day 258—We are in the NINETH month of Bible reading, with more of Israel’s history and future visions in DANIEL’S prophecy.

    Day 258 – Daniel 7 – 9 (Beginning of Daniel’s visions)

Daniel 7. Daniel has interpreted dreams for the kings of Babylon. Now, God sends him dreams of his own, which he finds much harder to interpret (as do we). In these dreams, animals usually represent kingdoms, and the animal’s horns represent leaders in those kingdoms.

Daniel talks about two dreams/visions he had in the first three years of Belshazzar’s 20-year reign. First, he saw the great sea (usually representing Gentile nations) being stirred by the four winds. Out of that swirling mass came four fantastic beasts (like those represented in Nebuchadnezzar’s statue dream.

They were a lion with eagle’s wings that became like a man (Babylon), a bear with three ribs in its mouth (Medo-Persia), a leopard with four wings and four heads (Greece), and finally, the fourth beast (Roman Empire), which was more terrifying than all three with huge lion’s teeth and ten “horns.” Three horns were prominent, but one small horn was the most powerful. It had eyes and a mouth like a man and spoke blasphemous words (against God & His dwelling place – Rev. 13:5-6) (the antichrist).

Then Daniel saw a vision of the Ancient of Days (God) with myriads of angels serving Him.  He sat in judgment, and the books were opened. The beasts were seen, destroyed, and burned with fire.  Then another appeared like the Son of Man (Christ). He was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom in which all the peoples, nations, and languages would serve him forever. 

Daniel was so overwhelmed and confused that he asked one of the beings standing there for an interpretation. The being explained the beasts and, particularly, the fourth one, and his defeat by the Ancient of Days. Daniel heard details but he mostly didn’t understand…. except that God and His people “win” in the end.

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Daniel 8.  Two years later, Daniel is given another vision. (Belshazzar is still the Babylonian king.)  He saw himself in the Medio-Persian capital of Susa, about 250 miles from Babylon.  He saw there a ram with two horns (the second one, the more powerful. (Medes & Persians). It charged (conquered) west, north, and south.

As Daniel watched, a male goat with a conspicuous horn (Alexander the Great of Greece) came from the west, struck, killed, and trampled the ram.  The goat became exceedingly “great,” but at the peak of his power, his horn was broken, and four horns (his four generals) replaced him.

Of the four, a little one became great and moved toward “the glorious land” (Israel). This little but massively powerful one (Antiochus Epiphanes, and later the Antichrist, as in chapter 11) took over the sanctuary and made burnt offerings, including one that defiled it. His “reign of terror” is 2,300 days, or 6 1/3  years – the rule of Antiochus until he dies. (After this, Judas Maccabeus led the people to clean the temple. Hanukkah.)

Again, Daniel asks for the interpretation, and another being – Gabriel, this time – explains. “The vision is for the time of the end.” He explains the Medes & Persians, Greece and Alexander, his four generals, and the great one “of boldface who understands riddles.”  (??)  In the dual understanding, Antiochus and Antichrist are combined, the latter even rising against the saints and the Prince of princes.  And he will be killed – but not by human hands. 

Then Gabriel tells Daniel that the number of days is true, but he is to “seal up the vision” because it takes place “many days from now” (still future to us). This all was so awful that Daniel was sick in bed for “some days” (he is an old man by now). Then he got up and did his job, but the vision “appalled him.”

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Daniel 9.  After the Medes take the kingdom of Babylon from King Belshazzar, Daniel realizes (from reading Jeremiah) that the end of Israel’s 70 years of “captivity” is near.  This inspired Daniel to pray. (And it is a great model of prayer for anyone.)  

He worships God first. “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keep covenant (promises) and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments.”

He confesses their sin (himself included). “We have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants, the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and to all the people of the land. To YOU, O, Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us, open shame….because of the treachery they have committed against you. To us, O, LORD, belongs open shame: to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 

We have rebelled…. not obeyed the voice of the LORD…. transgressed Your law, refusing to obey… we have sinned against him…. bringing upon us a great calamity.  Yet we have not entreated the favor of the LORD our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. We have sinned; we have done wickedly.”

(When is the last time I confessed my sin before the Lord like that?)

Then, Daniel requests three things from the LORD.  “Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for YOUR OWN SAKE, O Lord, make your face to shine upon (1) Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 

O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and (2) the city that is called by your name.  For we do not present our pleas before you because of OUR righteousness, but because of YOUR great mercy.

O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and (3) your people are called by your name.

And while he was praying…Gabriel came to him in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice (3:00 p.m.). Gabriel tells him that God heard him “at the beginning of his pleas for mercy,” and God wanted Daniel to know “You are greatly loved.” WOW!

Then Gabriel gives Daniel some very specific times and periods of time “….to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity.

“”Seventy weeks (of years)….. From the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem (very soon) to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks (of years)… then 62 weeks when the anointed One will be cut off…. Then the city and sanctuary will be destroyed again….. Then, the desolation…. One week, divided into two parts…..

Scholars have figured this all out: the rebuilding of the temple, the long time before the Messiah comes and is “cut off,” an extended period (the times of the Gentiles, as Jesus said in Luke 21:24?), then 7 years of tribulation, and the final end and triumph of the Prince.

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(Whew!) More of Daniel’s prophesies tomorrow!