Daniel 8:1-27 Animals, Angels, and the End Times

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1 Daniel 8:1-27 Michael Silva / April 22, 2018 Announcements: Earth Day An Opportunity To Be Thankful Make Disciples Be A Good Steward Opening: Goat Joke A man takes the day off work and decides to go out golfing. He is on the second hole when he notices a billy goat standing next to the green. He thinks nothing of it and is about to shoot when he hears, "Baahh. 9 Iron." The man looks around and doesn't see anyone but hears once again, "Baahh. 9 Iron." He looks at the billy goat, hesitantly puts his other club away, and grabs a 9 iron. Boom! He hits it 10 inches from the flag. He is shocked and then he hears, "Baahh. Lucky goat." The billy goat follows him to the next hole. As the man lines up he hears "Baahh. 3 wood." The guy takes out a 3 wood and Boom! Hole in one. The man is dumbfounded and doesn't know what to say. By the end of the day, the man golfed the best game of golf in his life and asks the billy goat, "OK where to next?" The billy goat reply, "Baahh. Las Vegas." So, they go to "Las Vegas and the guy says, "OK goat, now what?" The billy goat says, "Baahh. Roulette." Upon approaching the roulette table, the man asks, "What do you think I should bet?" The billy goat replies, "Baahh. $3000, black 6." The man figures what the heck. Boom, black 6! Tons of cash comes sliding back across the table. The man takes his winnings and he and his billy goat hire a limousine to drive them all around the Sin City. In the back of the limo the man says "Goat, I don't know how to repay you. You've won me all this money and I am forever grateful. What can I do for you? The billy goat replies, "Baaah, Kiss Me." That s a horrible mental image?! Sorry!!! Don t worry No one kisses a goat, or any other animal in our passage today, but a ram and a goat are at the center of Daniel s next vision in our passage today. Introduction: We are continuing our study in the historical and prophetic of... Daniel. 1. Key Themes and Topics in this book include a) Faith b) The Power of Prayer c) Not Compromising d) The Sovereignty of God God is in control, even when we are not. Let s look at Daniel 8, beginning with: Daniel 8:1-7 (NKJV) i 1. CONTEXT/HISTORY: The people of Israel are in captivity in the Land of Babylon. The events in this chapter take place before the events of chapters 5 and 6.

2 a) The kingdom is still controlled by the Babylonians; it is currently under the control of Nabonidus, the official king, and Belshazzar was his son, who was coregent in Babylon. b) Daniel chapter 1 2:4 are written in Hebrew, the rest of chapter 2 chap 7 are written in Aramaic. Daniel switches back to Hebrew here in chapter 8 until the end of the book. 2. Chapters 1-6 are narratives with Daniel and his friends in focus with Gentile kings being judged for their pride. a) Chapters 7-12 focus on Daniel s prophetic visions and dreams. 3. I ve summarized our passage today with. 4. Why is this passage important? a) Because in part, it helps to define our why in this life we currently live. b) Show the Michael Jr. Video. c) We all have individual whys callings unique to each of us. d) We also all have a corporate why what we are called to as a part of the body of Christ. e) This passage helps us to see part of our corporate why! Daniel 8:1-2 Daniel sees a Vision 1. The third year of the reign of King Belshazzar would be around 550 BC. a) That date is very significant as outside of Babylon the Cyrus successfully formed an alliance between the Medes and the Persians. The Medo-Persian empire is growing in power and reach rapidly. 2. According to Daniel he is in Shushan or Susa, which is the capital of the Medo-Perian empire located in modern day SW Iran. a) This is the location where Nehemiah served as the cupbearer. b) The book of Esther is also set in this city as well. c) It is generally agreed upon my commentators that Daniel was not physically in this location, but rather in his vision he was in Shushan. Let s jump ahead to Daniel 8:15-22 The Explanation 1. The Ram, verses 3-4, signifies the kings of Medo-Persians. 2. Next there is a Goat, verses 5-8, signifies the kingdom of Greece, specifically Alexander the Great and the four general who ruled after him. 3. Daniel receives this explanation from the angel Gabriel. a) This is one of only two angels who are known by name in the Bible, excluding Lucifer and his fallen Page 2

3 bunch. The other angel is MICHAEL (Jude 1:9). 4. The focus of the vision concerns the time of the end. While the Ram and the Goat are important, they are not what s most important. a) The reason for the vision is to prophetically declare the coming of an exceedingly powerful and dreadful ruler who exalts himself and seeks to destroy the holy people of God. Daniel 8:3-4 The Ram w/ Two Horns: The Medo-Persian Empire 1. Our passage clearly reveals that horns represents kings or kingdoms and in Daniel s vision the two-horned ram represents the Medo-Persian Empire that would soon conquer the Babylonian Empire. a) The higher horn which came up last was the Persians, they came after the Median Empire and were stronger as well. b) Cyrus was from the Persians empire. 2. The Medo-Perian Empire s capital was already in the far eastern region of modern day Iran. They expanded, according to Daniel s dream westward, northward, and southward, which history confirms. Daniel 8:5-7 The Goat w/ a Notable Horn: Alexander the Great 1. Alexander the Great quickly conquered the known world by age 28. a) In Daniel s previous vision in the previous chapter Alexander the Great was pictured as a leopard, known for their great speed. b) Alexander the Great moved so rapidly that he is pictured as a goat who s not even touching the ground. i) Many other kingdoms had tried to unsuccessfully challenge the Medo-Persians, but Alexander was able to cast them down and trample them to the ground. c) But Alexander the Great died at 32 years of age. Pic and Maps i) History tells us that he had been excessively drinking in Babylon when he fell ill with a high fever and suddenly died days later, perhaps from typhoid fever or malaria. Daniel 8:8 Alexander s kingdom is Divided among His 4 Generals. 1. History confirms that after Alexander s death, his four main generals began warring among themselves for control over Alexander s kingdom, the result was that they each ended up with a portion of the kingdom. Daniel 8:9-12 A Little Horn - Antiochus IV Epiphanes 1. Historically we know that under the Seleucid empire Antiochus IV ruled from BC. a) He gave himself the name Theos Epiphanes meaning God Manifested. He was also called Antiochus Epiphanes or Antiochus the Shining One. i) Though the Jews called him Antiochus Epimanes Antiochus the Insane One. Page 3

4 2. Antiochus IV hated the Jews. He demanded that all their holy writings be burned. a) He stopped the sacrifices in the temple. b) Jews caught with the writings of the Bible would be killed. c) He built a statue of himself and put it in the Temple of the Jews. d) He butchered a pig on the altar in the temple, smeared the blood over the walls, and forced the priests to drink the blood. e) The Stars Antiochus casted down was the Jewish people. i) This was a very evil and dark time for the Jews. 3. But a man named Matthias stood up against this madman. He was subsequently killed but this energized his five sons, led by the eldest, Judas Maccabeus to lead a successful revolt against which led to the Jewish people regaining control of their temple. a) They immediately purified the temple and relit the temple lampstand. b) Problem They only had enough oil to keep the lampstand lit for one day, but it would take 8 days to get more oil. So, they prayed, and that candle lampstand stayed lit for 8 days. i) From these events comes the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. ii) Even Jesus celebrated Hanukkah, as seen in John 10:22ff. Daniel 8:13-14 Antiochus Days Are Numbered 1. The holy ones speaking are not identified, though Daniel is able to overhear them talking. a) How long will the transgression of desolation and the host be trampled underfoot? 2,300 days. b) Literally it is 2,300 mornings and evenings, commonly translated as days. c) Though it could mean each morning and evening was to be counted equaling 1,150 days. d) Either number works historically i) If you count from when Antiochus began intensely persecuting the Jews to when Judas Maccabeus rededicates the temple on December 25, 165 BC, it is about 2,300 days. ii) If you count from when Antiochus defiled the temple specifically to when Judas Maccabeus rededicated the temple is 1,150 days. Daniel 8:15-22 The Vision refers to the time of the End 1. In this explanation from Gabriel, we are reminded in Vs 17 that this vision refers to the time of the end. a) And in Vs 19 Gabriel says that at the appointed time the end shall be. b) Though Antiochus fulfilled all that was described in this passage around 168 BC, he only foreshadows Page 4

5 the coming of the Antichrist in the time of the end. Daniel 8:23-25 Antichrist is Further Described 1. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 4 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 2. The Great Tribulation period will include the Antichrist who will be empowered by Satan, will be ruling over the earth. a) He will declare himself to be god. He will demand that all the earth worship him. i) He will kill all who will not. b) No one can buy or sell without his mark. c) He too will desecrate the temple by erecting an image of himself that the people are to worship. 3. Jesus warns the Jews who remain on earth after the rapture in Matthew 24: Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. a) Gabriel remind us that what Daniel saw in his vision concerns the time of the end. b) Therefore, we logically conclude that Antiochus foreshadows the Antichrist in the last days. Daniel 8:26 The Vision is Sealed 1. The vision was sealed, along with its full understand until 1) the New Testament scriptures have been giving and 2) the end has come. 2. At the end of the Great Tribulation Revelation 19:20-21 declares, Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. Daniel 8:27 Daniel continued in the King s Business 1. This vision wasn t easily forgotten, it deeply affected him. a) But he still arose and went about the king s business. b) As dark and difficult as the vision was, he still had work to do. Page 5

6 Conclusion: What s the big take away from this passage? 1. We could summarize this passage with. a) But what s important to remember is we all have the King s business to tend to until He comes for us. b) This is our Why! We are moving forward to the end and we have work to do in helping to lead people to Christ before it comes! i) Philippians 2: Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. ii) Matthew 5: You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. iii) Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. iv) Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, c) Let s be faithful in tending to the King s business until He comes for us! Invitation: Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. i All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. Page 6