September 7th~Evidence

Daniel 7:1-8:27

Daniel 5:1-31

We were transported to Babylon, where the prophet Daniel has been since he was exiled by Nebuchadnezzar as a young man. He has risen to power because of his wisdom, courage, and character, and because the spirit of God was with him, granting him favor before all. While in exile, the Lord gave Daniel several visions of the near and distant future.

The first vision was that of four beasts (7:1-14). Like the statue dream of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2), which highlighted four metals, the four beasts portrayed the four world empires that would rise to power (v.17). Because we live on this side of Ancient History, we now know whom these beasts represented. Babylon was the lion with eagles wings (v.4), the Medo-Persians were pictured as the bear (v.5), Greece was the leopard with four wings (v.6), and the Romans were indescribable, “terrifying, dreadful and very strong, having huge iron teeth” (v.7).

The mystery here lies in the ten horns of the fourth beast (v.8), particularly one horn that destroys the others and defies the Most High. This horn represents the Anti-Christ of the end times, one who will rise to power and persecute the people of God. Eventually, his power will be taken away by the Son of God, who will be given “authority, honor, and royal power over all the nations of the world” (v.13, 14).

Daniel’s second vision was that of a ram and a goat (8:1-14). This prophecy was a closer look at the rise and fall of the Medo-Persian Empire, the ram that “butted everything out of its way. It did as it pleased and became great” (v.4, 5). However, a goat with a giant horn appeared (the Greeks with Alexander the Great) that destroyed the Medes and Persians and became very powerful (v.7, 8). But, at the height of its power the large horn was broken and replaced by four new horns. Here was a prophecy of Alexander’s early death (age 33) and the dispersion of his empire to his four generals. One of the horns was predicted to defy God and trample His people. It is believed that this was a prophecy of Antiochus Epiphanes of the Seleucid Empire, who would later desecrate the second Temple and treat the Jews with cruelty. Of course, all of this was a foreshadowing of the future Anti-Christ.

Daily Reflection

The personal story today was that of King Belshazzar, a prideful, foolish man who defied God and profaned the holy objects from the Temple during a party one night. A messenger from God inscribed a warning on the wall of his palace — “Mene, Tekel, Parsin,” — meaning his days were numbered, he had been weighed or judged and found guilty, and his kingdom was to be divided that night (5:25-28).

When Daniel was called in to interpret the message, he reminded Belshazzar of another prideful king, Nebuchadnezzar, and how God had humbled him. Then, he chastised Belshazzar for not learning this lesson from the past. “You are his successor. You knew all of this, yet you have not humbled yourself. You have defied the Lord of heaven... and you have not honored the God who gives you breath of life and who controls your destiny!” (v.22-24).

If an objective observer were to evaluate your life, who would he find that you honor with your time, your money, and your efforts? Your God or yourself? What does the evidence say?

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