2. A Future Prophecy that Challenges Our Faith Daniel 8

3. I.God gives Daniel a vision of 2 future world empires, Persia and Greece. (Dan 8:1-14)

4. Dan. 8:1 In the 3 rd year of King Belshazzar ’ s reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me earlier.

5. Dan 8:2 I saw the vision, and as I watched, I was in the fortress city of Susa, in the province of Elam. I saw in the vision that I was beside the Ulai Canal.

12. Dan 8:3 I looked up, and there was a ram standing beside the canal. He had 2 horns. The 2 horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up last. 4 I saw the ram charging to the west, the north, and the south. No animal could stand against him, and there was no rescue from his power. He did whatever he wanted and became great.

13. The ram with 2 horns is symbolic of Persia (ancient Iran).

19. Dan. 8:5 As I was observing, a male goat appeared, coming from the west across the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground. The goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. 6 He came toward the 2-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and rushed at him with savage fury.

21. Dan 8:7 I saw him approaching the ram, and infuriated with him, he struck the ram, shattering his 2 horns, and the ram was not strong enough to stand against him. The goat threw him to the ground and trampled him, and there was no one to rescue the ram from his power. 8 Then the male goat became very great, but when he became powerful, the large horn was shattered. 4 conspicuous horns came up in its place, |pointing| toward the 4 winds of heaven.

23. The goat is a symbol of ancient Greece.

24. The big horn is Alexander the Great.

25. The 4 horns are 4 generals who divided up the Greek Empire after Alexander ’ s death.

36. Pay close attention! Dan. 7:8 4th Beast = Revived Roman Empire “little horn” = Antichrist Dan 8:9 3rd Empire = Greece “little horn” = ?

37. Dan. 8:9 From one of them a little horn emerged and grew extensively toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land. 10 It grew as high as the heavenly host, made some of the stars and some of the host fall to the earth, and trampled them. 11 It made itself great, even up to the Prince of the host; it removed His daily sacrifice and overthrew the place of His sanctuary. 12 Because of rebellion, a host, together with the daily sacrifice, will be given over. The horn will throw truth to the ground and will be successful in whatever it does.

38. Antiochus IV, the Antichrist of the OT

39. Why does God call both Antiochus and Antichrist “ little horns ” ?

40. Why does God call both Antiochus and Antichrist “ little horns ” ? Because the 2 are so much alike! Antichrist, the future Roman leader in Dan 7:8 is like a super evil version of Antiochus, the ancient Greek leader in Dan 8:9.

41. Antiochus // Antichrist

42. Why does God call both Antiochus and Antichrist “ little horns ” ? God calls both men “ little horns ” with a touch of irony and satire! Both Antichrist and Antiochus are so puny, pigmy, and pint-size in God ’ s eyes, He calls them “ little ” !

43. Dan 8:9-12 tells us some basic facts about Antiochus: 1. He ruled the “ beautiful land ” = Israel. 2. Antiochus persecuted ( “ tramples ” ) Israelites ( “ hosts ”, “ stars ” = Israel in OT (Gen 15:5; Exod 12:41) and NT (Rev 12:1). 3. Antiochus ’ was proud ( “ grew high ”, “ made himself great ” ), demanding worship as God ( “ even up to the Prince ” ).

44. Dan 8:9-12 tells us some basic facts about Antiochus: 4. Antiochus set up an idol and sacrificed a pig on the altar in the temple in Jerusalem ( “ removed the sacrifice … overthrew … His sanctuary ” ). 5. God allowed this dictator to be temporarily “ successful ” as a consequence of the sins ( “ rebellion ” ) of Israel ( “ a host ” ).

45. How long would God allow this awful ruler to keep persecuting God ’ s people?

46. Dan. 8:13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the speaker, “ How long will |the events of| this vision last — the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and of the host to be trampled? ” 14 He said to me, “ For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be restored. ”

47. How long would the temple in Jerusalem and its sacrifices be desecrated by this madman?

48. How long would the temple in Jerusalem and its sacrifices be desecrated by this madman? 2,300 days = 6 years+

49. How long would the temple in Jerusalem and its sacrifices be desecrated by this madman? 2,300 days = 6 years+ Sept 6, 171 B.C. — Dec 25, 165 B.C when Judas Maccabeus restored the temple sacrifices in Jerusalem.

53. II.The angel Gabriel interprets Daniel ’ s vision. (Dan 8:15-27)

54. Dan. 8:15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there stood before me someone who appeared to be a man. 16 I heard a human voice calling from the middle of the Ulai: “ Gabriel, explain the vision to this man. ” 17a So he approached where I was standing; when he came near, I was terrified and fell facedown. …

55. Dan 8:17b “ Son of man, ” Gabriel said to me, “ understand that the vision refers to the time of the end. ” 18 While he was speaking to me, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face |to the ground|. Then he touched me, made me stand up, 19 and said, “ I am here to tell you what will happen at the conclusion of the time of wrath, because it refers to the appointed time of the end.

59. Dan 8:20 The 2-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The shaggy goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes represents the 1 st king. 22 The 4 horns that took the place of the shattered horn represent 4 kingdoms. They will rise from that nation, but without its power.

60. Dan. 8:23 Near the end of their kingdoms, when the rebels have reached the full measure of their sin, an insolent king, skilled in intrigue, will come to the throne. 24 His power will be great, but it will not be his own. He will cause terrible destruction and succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the powerful along with the holy people.

61. Dan 8:25 He will cause deceit to prosper through his cunning and by his influence, and in his own mind he will make himself great. In |a time of| peace, he will destroy many; he will even stand against the Prince of princes. But he will be shattered, not by human hands. 26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true. Now you must seal up the vision because it refers to many days |in the future|. ”

62. Mountain Peaks of Prophecy

63. There has been at least 2,000 years between Christ ’ s 1 st and 2 nd Coming

64. Bifocal Prophecies / Double Fulfillment of Prophecies

67. Bifocal glasses help us see close up and far away.

68. God sometimes gave His prophets one prophecy with a double fulfillment. A bifocal prophecy has both a near and far fulfillment.

69. Jesus predicted Jerusalem would be destroyed: Rome destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D.. Antichrist will destroy it again in our future.

70. Mountain Peaks of Prophecy are 2 prophecies with a gap of time between be their fulfillments.

71. A Double Fulfillment or Bifocal Prophecy is one prophecy that has both a near and far fulfillment.

72. In Dan 8, the “ little horn ” is a Double Fulfillment or Bifocal Prophecy: A near fulfillment in Antiochus and a far fulfillment in Antichrist.

73. A Double Fulfillment/ Bifocal Prophecy: Antiochus: “ Little horn ” at the start (Dan 8:9) An “ insolent king ” (Dan 8:23) Has great power (Dan 8:24) Destroyed thousands (Dan 8:25) Antichrist: Starts as a “ little horn ” (Dan 7:8) An “ imposing ” look (Dan 7:20) Has greater power (2 Thess 2:9; Rev 13:2) Destroys millions (Rev 13:15; 16:13-16)

74. Antiochus: Prospers a short time (Dan 8:25) Persecutes Jews (Dan 8:24) A deceiver (Dan 8:12,25) Proud (Dan 8:11, 25) Blasphemes God (Dan 8:25) Not killed by humans (Dan 8:25) Antichrist: Successful a short time (Dan 11:36; Rev 13:7) Persecutes Jews (Dan 7:21, 25; Rev 12:13) Master deceiver (2 Thess 2:9; Rev 13:4,14; 19:11) Megalomaniac (Dan 7:8, 11,20,25; Rev 13:5) Demands worship as God (Dan 7:25; 11:36) Captured by an angel (2 Thess 2:8; Rev 19:19-20)

75. Dan. 8: 26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true. Now you must seal up the vision because it refers to many days |in the future|. ”

76. Gabe tells Daniel to “ seal up ” the vision — write it down in a manuscript, preserve it, and keep it secure, so future generations of believers would be able to read it when it ’ s fulfilled.

77. Dan. 8:27 I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for days. Then I got up and went about the king ’ s business. I was greatly disturbed by the vision and could not understand it.