July 26 – Another Vision

Daniel 8:1 – 14

In King Belshazzar's third year as king, another vision came to me, Daniel. This was now the second vision. In the vision, I saw myself in Susa, the capital city of the province Elam, standing at the Ulai Canal. Looking around, I was surprised to see a ram also standing at the gate. The ram had two huge horns, one bigger than the other, but the bigger horn was the last to appear. I watched as the ram charged: first west, then north, then south. No beast could stand up to him. He did just as he pleased, strutting as if he were king of the beasts. While I was watching this, wondering what it all meant, I saw a billy goat with an immense horn in the middle of its forehead come up out of the west and fly across the whole country, not once touching the ground. The billy goat approached the double-horned ram that I had earlier seen standing at the gate and, enraged, charged it viciously. I watched as, mad with rage, it charged the ram and hit it so hard that it broke off its two horns. The ram didn't stand a chance against it. The billy goat knocked the ram to the ground and stomped all over it. Nothing could have saved the ram from the goat.

 Then the billy goat swelled to an enormous size. At the height of its power its immense horn broke off and four other big horns sprouted in its place, pointing to the four points of the compass. And then from one of these big horns another horn sprouted. It started small, but then grew to an enormous size, facing south and east—toward lovely Palestine. The horn grew tall, reaching to the stars, the heavenly army, and threw some of the stars to the earth and stomped on them. It even dared to challenge the power of God, Prince of the Celestial Army! And then it threw out daily worship and desecrated the Sanctuary. As judgment against their sin, the holy people of God got the same treatment as the daily worship. The horn cast God's Truth aside. High-handed, it took over everything and everyone.

Then I overheard two holy angels talking. One asked, 'How long is what we see here going to last—the abolishing of daily worship, this devastating judgment against sin, the kicking around of God's holy people and the Sanctuary?' The other answered, 'Over the course of 2,300 sacrifices, evening and morning. Then the Sanctuary will be set right again.'

We need to pray for wisdom and understanding of this vision. Dear Lord, we are hungry for understanding of this vision that You gave Daniel. Please give us wisdom as we delve into Your word.

The ram and goats again represent the Medo-Persian and Greek Empires that were also in Nebuchadnezzar’s and Daniel’s earlier dreams. All this vision is explained later in the chapter with an interpretation. Daniel and all of us reading about Daniel’s vision are blessed that an explanation is provided. This dream doesn’t appear to be as scary as Daniel’s earlier vision, but it is neither comforting nor encouraging. Daniel was viewing himself in the capital city of Susa about 250 miles east of Babylon.   

According to Ezra 5, King Cyrus decreed that the Temple was to be rebuilt and the gold and silver utensils from the Temple that had been taken to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar were to be returned to the Temple. Under King Artaxerxes (Ezra 7) those exiles who wanted to return to Jerusalem were allowed to leave. Since he lived in Babylon much longer, Daniel was apparently not in that group of returning exiles. So he was still in Babylon to dream dreams and live out his days. 

The angels were discussing Antiochus’ persecution of the Jews that lasted for 2,300 days, from 171 BC to December 25, 165 B C when Judas Maccabeus restored the Temple to proper worship after the Greeks had defiled it sacrificing pigs there. Thus the Jewish Festival of Lights is celebrated, Hanukkah, each year commemorating the miraculous time when the menorah oil for one day lasted for eight days as the Maccabeus fought for independence. Now Hanukkah is a great time for feasting—but there is so much spiritual food to be discussed and all the battles, one can really lose their appetite. This occurred well after Daniel’s time.

Are you ready for the end times? Daniel is faced with that in his vision—and we are privileged to this information. Are we applying this to our lives? Is a relationship to Jesus part of your life—and your future plans?

 

Lord Jesus, again help us to understand Daniel’s vision, his situation and how this influences our lives.   

Lord Jesus, again help us to understand Daniel’s vision and his situation.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.