We are not done with the reign of Darius but chapter seven backtracks and chronologically it comes before chapter five. The first six chapters of Daniel present history; the last six chapters are visions relating mainly to the future, hence the prelude to Revelation.
In this chapter Daniel is said to be in his late sixties and Belshazzar is in his first year as king.
This time Daniel isn’t asking God to interpret dreams for anyone but himself.
His vision had the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea with four great beasts, each different from the others coming up out of it.
It should be noted, when the phrase “four winds” is mentioned in the Bible, it’s usually in reference to some remarkable, unusual, or devastating event and these events are being reported by some of the Lord’s prophets, most often in the form of a vision
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” Ezekiel 37:9
Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,” declares the Lord.
Zechariah 2:6
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree Revelation 7:1
The “four winds” here in Daniel, the reference is Revelation 7:1 which is one example of the phrase being used in the context of judgment. This use of the “four winds” is different from other references because the winds are being held back rather than being sent forth. The holding back of the four winds represents the whole theme of Revelation 7, which is a worshipful respite from the outpouring of God’s judgments. The four winds that had previously represented destruction and affliction on the earth now serve as the most moving and hope-filled promise from God for the protection of His people: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God” (verse 3), “and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (verse 17).
Daniel goes into great detail of what the beasts looked like, including the fourth beast with ten horns. Daniel says this beast was terrifying, frightening and very powerful. It crushed and devoured its victims and trampled under foot whatever was left. (7:7)
Take special notice to the horns, because as the court was seated, the books (plural) were opened. The book of Life was opened. Will your name be there? If you were judged today what would your sentence be? John also mentions this same sight in Revelation 17
“The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. Revelation 17:12
Many believe the little horn is a future human ruler or the Antichrist
2 Thessalonians 2 says: He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 2 Thessalonians 2: 4
Read carefully the interpretation of the dream starting in verse fifteen. As much as I want to believe we are watching verse twenty-one play out in today’s society, we are told this isn’t even the worst of it.
As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them.
As you finish chapter seven watch verses twenty-three through twenty-five.
He will speak out against the Most High.
He will oppress his holy people.
He will try to change the set times and laws.
The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.
Where else do we know about a time, times and half a time (3.5) years? For one Revelation 12.
The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. Revelation 12:14
All this to say Daniel dreamed of four beasts which represented four kingdoms of the world, and of a ram and goat, which depicted two of those kingdoms in great detail. Daniel’s visions reveal that the Messiah will be the ruler of a spiritual Kingdom that will over power and overshadow all other earthly kingdoms. These visions help us see that we should interpret all of history in light of God’s eternal Kingdom.
Chapter eight Belshazzar is in his third year of reigning as king. Daniel clearly states he is having another vision. He tells you in detail where he is and what he saw.
He saw a ram with two horns. One horn was longer than the other, but the other soon grew. Daniel watched the ram charge to the west, the north and the south. No animal could stand against it nor be rescued from its power. It did as it pleased and became great. Then enters a goat with a horn between its eyes, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. This goat charged the ram and destroyed it. The goat became very great but at the height of its power the large horn broke off and four prominent horns grew. Out of one of the horns grew another horn. It started small but grew in power. It grew until it reached the host of the heavens and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. It set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord, it took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord and his sanctuary was thrown down. Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did and TRUTH was thrown to the ground.
What does all this mean? Again theologians state that some of this has already happened when Israel was attacked by Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the second century B.C. He overthrew Israel’s high priest, looted the temple and replaced worship of God with a Greek form of worship. But further fulfillment of this prophecy and the powerful horn will occur in the future: The Antichrist.
As we continue Daniel says:
“Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, ‘How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the Lord’s people?’ He said to me, ‘It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.’” Daniel 8:13-14
The time period covered, 2,300 days, figures to be about 6 1/3 years. Theologians believe this prophecy was fulfilled before the birth of Christ, during the reign of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV (Epiphanes). Antiochus desecrated the temple in Jerusalem and severely persecuted the Jews from about September 171 BC to December 165 BC. When Antiochus died, the Jews purified and rededicated the temple, just as Daniel had predicted. These events are commemorated in the celebration of Hanukkah.
In Isaiah 46 it says:
I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ Isaiah 46:10
The fact that God can make known the end from the beginning, from ancient time to what is still to come, is what makes the detailed prophecies contained in God’s Word unique among religious texts. He has revealed significant events in the future, counting out the very days of those periods of time.
As we finish out chapter 8, it is looking to the future and what is still to come. The Antichrist.
As I was reading the end of chapter eight, I couldn’t help but have deja vu. With everything that has happened in the past couple of years, some of this is playing out for the world to see.
He will cause astounding devastation.
He will succeed in whatever he does
He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people
He will cause deceit to prosper
He will consider himself superior.
When they feel secure, he will destroy many
He will take his stand against the Prince of princess
Yet he will be destroyed, not by human power.
We don’t know the day or the time for the end times/tribulation but the stage is being set and unfortunately many will not heed the warning and be ready for the Bridegrooms return for His bride.
Chapter nine starts by telling us when this happened. In the first year of Darius, son of Xerxes. Darius took over at the end of chapter five right after Belshazzar was killed because he used the goblets that had been taken from the temple of God.
Daniel understood from the word given to the prophet Jeremiah that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years and he knew it was about to end. So Daniel turned to the Lord and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
As Daniel prayed for the nation, he confessed his own sin. Even though Daniel, in all of this remained righteous, he didn’t play the blame game when confessing sinfulness and the need for God’s forgiveness. Not only did he pray, he fasted, confessed, and then pleaded for God to reveal his will.
While reading this prayer, it hit me how much I put myself on a pedestal and never remember that I have played a part in this sin ridden world. I love the wording Daniel uses in this prayer.
Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments.
Then Daniel starts in:
We have sinned and done wrong
We have been wicked and rebelled
We have turned away from your commands and laws
We have not listened to your servants the prophets
Daniel reminds God again who God is but also takes the blame for being disobedient.
Daniel continues on that he understands that the curses and sworn judgments have been poured out due to sinning against God.
Daniel then pleads with God.
Turn away your anger and wrath
Hear our prayers and petitions
Look with favor
Give ear and hear
Open your eyes and see
And I love the last couple of lines.
“We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, Listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my god, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”
How many times do we pray and forget to confess our sins?
How many times do we pray and feel like God owes us?
The last few lines of Daniels’ prayer need to become ever ingrained in my prayer life. What about yours?
Now enters Gabriel. This is the same Gabriel that went to Zechariah and told him that Elizabeth would bear him a son.
The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. Luke 1:19
To Daniel he says:
He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision:
Daniel 9: 22-23
As we end chapter nine I want to touch on the Seventy Sevens.
There are three basic views.
The first is that the prophecy was fulfilled in the past at the desecration of the temple by Antiochus IV in 168-167 BC.
The second is that it was fulfilled in the past at the destruction of the temple by the Roman general Titus in A.D. 70 when one million Jews were killed.
The last says it is still to be fulfilled under the Antichrist.
Matthew 24 says: “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— Matthew 24:15
What is the abomination that causes desolation from Daniel and now Jesus? Some say that rather than one object, event or person, it could be seen as any deliberate attempt to mock and deny the reality of God’s presence. They are saying Daniels’ prediction came true in 168 B.C. Jesus’ words were remembered in A.D. 70 when Titus placed an idol on the site of the burned temple after destroying Jerusalem. In the end times the antichrist will set up an image of himself and order everyone to worship it.
He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4
Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. Revelation 13: 14, 15
They are all “abominations “ that mock God.
If we go with it is still to come then here is a synopsis according to some commentaries.
Daniel said the agreement to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem will usher in the last 7 years of tribulation, whereby the Israelites will start animal sacrifice but in the midst of the 7 years the Antichrist will stop the animal sacrifice, change laws and stand in the holy temple wanting to be worshiped. This is when the mark of the beast will be made mandatory for buying and selling;
It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. Revelation 13:16–17
Life will be terrible for many to survive and most saints will be killed; the period of great tribulation God will give his followers divine protection;
For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. Matthew 24:21–22
The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. Revelation 12:6
The great tribulation will take 3 and 1/2 years before Jesus returns, it is the same period that the 2 witnesses shall be prophesying, who shall be given power of fire coming out their mouth to kill those who attack them;
And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. Revelation 11:3
If you remember at the end of chapter seven it says
He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time. Daniel 7:25
Again, we can’t say when the great tribulation will happen, but as Christ followers we need to be ready. We need to live out Matthew 28 every day.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
We will finish the last three chapters in another post because I think studying all six chapters in one sitting can’t do them justice.