A VISION FROM GOD

 

Daniel 8:19-26

 

V:19. "And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be."

 A. God has planned all the events of our lives.

     1. God knows the end from the beginning.

     2. Nothing that happens catches God off guard.

     3. God knows the good and the bad events that will happen in the future.

         a. God knows because He knows the heart of man.

     4. God is not the author of evil.  Evil is the result of man's sins.

     5. God exercises His right to chastise us as He chooses.

 B. Daniel was given a vision through the Angel Gabriel concerning a series of foreign

      kings who would inflict hardship on Israel because of their sins. 

    1. Through out the Bible, God reveals His visions and promises to us.

    2. Some parts of His visions have been fulfilled and some are waiting

        to be fulfilled.

  C.  The word "indignation" is God dissatisfaction with our sins.

     1. There is an appointed time when God will put an end to sin.

     2. There is an appointed time when God will restore His creation to it's original

          state of holiness.  

 

V:20. "The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia."

 A. Daniel was serving God under a pagan king of the Babylonian empire.

     1. Babylon would fall and Cyrus of Persia would establish the Persian Empire

         ( Modern Iran).

      2. The two horns represented two kingdoms that collapsed into one with Cyrus as

           King.

 B. God allows nations to rise and fall in His plan to redeem man to himself.

     1. Any nation that rejects God will become it's own down fall.

     2. Israel suffered a long period of captivity and ruin because they refused to follow

         God's commands.

 

V:21. "And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king."

 A. One King came forth and took control of the Medo-Persian Empire.

     1. This King is identified as Alexander the Great who came to power 194 years

          after the vision was given to Daniel.

     2. Alexander the Great ruled for 33 years.

 B. God knows man and his pride.

      1. The pride of man eventually brings him down.  

      2. God hates the proud.

 

V:22. "Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

 A. After the death of Alexander the Great, his kingdom was divided into four kingdoms

       established by his generals.

     1. None of the generals matched the power of Alexander.

     2. God allows rulers to exist for a time according to His divine pleasure.

 B. No one is guaranteed a life span on earth.

    1. We should make the best of the time we have.

    2. Our time should be spent giving God the praise and glory.

 

 

V:23. "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up."

 A. Another King more fierce and evil took charge.

     1. This kingdom was the Roman empire.

     2. Antiochus Epiphenes ruled from 175 to 164 BC.

         a. He attacked the people of God in their homeland.

  B. God's punishment of man for his sins can extend for many years according to His

       divine plan.

    1. God gives power to world kings to chastise His people for their sins.

    2. We must be careful to worship God and not man. 

 

V:24. "And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people."

 A. God allows vile and wicked people to have charge over His people to bring them to   

      their senses.

     1. Antiochus defiled the temple of God and wage war against God and His people.

     2. Antiochus derived his power from God to lay waste the holy city of God.

     3. He was under the control of God to inflict punishment on God's people.

 B. God is just and merciful in what ever He does to bring us back to Himself.

 

V:25. "And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand."

 A. Antiochus was allowed to prosper in his evil ways for a time.

     1. He persecuted Jews who resisted his policies.

     2. He killed Jews for reading the scriptures and honoring the Sabbath.

 B. We must be careful to protect the freedom we have by obeying God's commands.

      1. It is easy to neglect the freedom we have to worship God freely.

      2. Satan never rests in his efforts to distract us from God.

 C. This king prided himself in his ability to do evil.

      1. He prided himself in his freedom to have many people killed at his word.

      2. He rose up against God by defiling the temple in Jerusalem.

 D. His end was promised by the divine and invisible power.

      1. According to history, Antiochus died of grief and remorse in Babylon because

 

          his forces were defeated.

      2. There is no power on earth that supercedes the power of God.

      3. God uses many ways to bring down those who opposes Him and

          His righteousness.

      4. We must remember that God is always in control and be encouraged by this

           fact.   

 

V:26. "And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days."

 A. This part of the prophecy was fulfilled and is sealed in the records of history.

      1. God keeps his promises.

      2. Man does not always receive the promises of God because of his disobedience.

      3. God is in no hurry to fulfill all of His promises to us.

 B. Israel, God chosen people was restored to the promise land from their 70 year

      captivity in Babylon.

     1. They obeyed God for a while, but soon return to ways that displeased God.

     2. As a result of their continued disobedience, Israel was repeatedly subjected

         to the chastisement of God through evil nations.

     3. God is merciful to redeem us from our sins when we repent and follow

         his commands.

   C. Like Israel, we may experience a series of trials and tribulations to be shaped and

        equipped to serve God.

      1. Like Israel, we are promised redemption through our faith in Jesus Christ.

      2. Like Israel, we have a prepared place in heaven.

      3. Like Israel, God is tolerant with us even in our sins and disobedience.

      4. Like Israel, God will chastise us because of His great love for us.

      5. Like Israel, God has a purpose for our lives.

      6. Thank God for His grace and mercy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DANIEL  CHAPTER 8

 

VISION OF KINGDOM THROUGH GABRIEL

 

 

DATES                VISION              KINGDOMS                                     ACTUAL KING

 

540 BC                 Ram                    Two Kings

                                                           Medes Persia                                   Cyrus

 

360                       Rough Goat       King of Grecia                                    Alexander

                                                        Alexander dies and his 4 generals

                                                        become kings

 

                             Great Horn         First King                                           Cassander

                                                                                                                    Lysimachus

                                                                                                                    Seleusicus

                                                                                                                    Ptolemy  

 

 

168-30                 Fierce King        Rome                                                   Antiochus IV

 

                            Fight the Prince of Princes

 

                            Fierce King destroyed   

 

 

33 AD                 The Cross,  Christ the Redeemer

 

2013 AD              Church Age

 

 

AD Future           Second Coming

 

                            Resurrection of The Saints

 

                             Judgment of world

 

                             Lake of Fire

 

                             New Heaven and New Earth

 

                             Eternity