Don’t Forget God’s Indignation against Sin – Daniel 8:1-27
8 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had appeared to me previously. (2) Now when I received the vision I was in the citadel of Susa which is in the province of Elam. And in the vision I saw myself standing beside the Ulai River. (3) I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns standing beside the river. The two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up last. (4) I watched the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand against him, neither was there any who could rescue out of his hand; he did as he pleased and magnified himself. (5) As I was considering this, suddenly a goat came from the west, crossing the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground—and the goat had a prominent horn between his eyes. (6) He came to the ram with the two horns, the one I had seen standing beside the river, and he charged at him with the fury of his power. (7) I saw him approach the ram, and he was enraged against him. He struck the ram and broke his two horns, and the ram had no strength to stand against him. The goat threw him down to the ground and trampled upon him; and there was none who was able to deliver the ram out of his hand. (8) Then the goat greatly magnified himself. But when he had become strong, the large horn was broken. In its place there came up four prominent horns facing toward the four winds of heaven. (9) And out of one of them there came a little horn that grew to become very great, exerting its power toward the south and toward the east and toward the glorious land. (10) It grew great, even reaching the host of heaven. Some of the host and of the stars it threw to the ground and trampled upon them. (11) Indeed, it magnified itself, even against the Prince of the host; it took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was thrown down. (12) On account of transgression, the host was given over to the horn along with the daily sacrifice; it flung truth to the ground and it did as it pleased and succeeded. (13) Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one asked the first one who spoke, How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression that brings desolation, so as to cause both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot? (14) And he said to me, It will take two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be cleansed.
(15) When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I tried to understand it. And there standing before me was someone who looked like a man. (16) And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of the Ulai. He called out, Gabriel, cause this man to understand the vision. (17) So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came near I was terrified and I fell upon my face. But he said to me, Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end. (18) As he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand upright. (19) Then he said, I am going to let you know what will occur at the end of the indignation, for the vision pertains to the appointed time of the end. (20) The ram that you saw—the one that had the two horns—represents the kings of Media and Persia. (21) The shaggy goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. (22) The horn that was broken and the four horns that stood up in its place represent four kingdoms that will arise from that nation, although they will not possess his power. (23) In the latter period of their reign, when the transgressors have come to the full extent of their sin, there shall arise a king with a cruel expression, one who is a master of intrigue. (24) He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastations and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. (25) And through his cunning he will cause deceit to succeed by his manipulation; he will magnify himself in his heart. He will destroy many when they feel secure; he will also stand up in opposition against the Prince of princes. But he will be broken, yet not by human hand. (26) The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given to you is true; but seal up the vision, because it pertains to the distant future. (27) I, Daniel, fainted, and was sick for several days. Then I got up and once again went about doing the king’s business. I was perplexed by the vision, but there was no one who understood it.
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
