We left off last time with the ‘little horn’ coming out from the four kings following the terrible attack by the he-goat. Who are these kings, who is this he-goat, who is this ‘little horn’? God did not let this be a complete mystery to Daniel or to us.
Daniel 8:15 And it happened when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me the form of a man. 8:16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called and said, Gabriel, make this one understand the vision.
Who gives orders or assignments to Gabriel? Could it be Michael or is it God?
8:17 So he came near beside my place. And when he came, I was afraid and fell on my face. But he said to me, Understand, O son of man, for the vision is for the time of the end. 8:18 And as he was speaking with me, I was stunned, on my face toward the ground. But he touched me and set me upright.
All too often angels (heavenly messengers) are both ignored and trivialized. They are depicted as cuddly cherubs at Valentine’s Day, as female comforters, as winged protectors, etc. You can find them in paintings, sculptures, cards, murals, pageants, and in movies. God has not given us permission to try and portray them, in fact, He has said the opposite.
How did this affect Daniel? He fainted and fell to the ground.
Exodus 20:2 I am Jehovah your God, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 20:3 You shall have no other gods before
20:4 You shall not make to yourselves any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
20:5 You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them.
For I Jehovah your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and fourth generation of those that hate me, 20:6 and showing mercy to thousands of those that love Me and keep My commandments.
No images of any kind. Never! Not even if it is by some famous artist or in a ‘church’! Angel networks, personal angels, names of angels, and praying to or soliciting angels are all abominations to the only true GOD.
8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make you know what shall happen in the last end of the indignation. For it is for the time appointed for the end.
This is still coming in its entirety, but was initiated in history.
8:20 The ram which you saw having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
The beasts in the other prophecies are here disclosed.
8:21 And the shaggy goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.
This is Alexander the Great who arguably was the most successful, charismatic military leader of history.
8:22 And as for that being broken, and four stood up in its place; four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in its power.
This is also history as Alexander died young, most likely from his evil lifestyle. None went to his children, but to his four ‘generals’.
8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have come to the full, a king, fierce of face, and skilled at intrigues, shall stand up.
This is the ‘little horn’ mentioned in Daniel 7. Daniel 7:8 I was thinking about the horns, and behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom three of the first horns were uprooted. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power. And he shall destroy marvelously, and shall prosper and work, and destroy the mighty and the holy people.
8:25 And also through his understanding, he shall cause deceit to succeed in his hand. And he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many. He also shall stand up against the Ruler of rulers. But he shall be broken without a hand.
Out of all of these kingdoms will arise this last kingdom ruled by this last king or ruler. He will succeed on a platform of lies and demonic total control. He will succeed in killing off both the mighty and the holy, that is true Christians; not Muslims or Hindus or Atheists or Spiritualists or any of the false, liberal, social, prosperity gospel mis-believers.
8:26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true. But you shall shut up the vision; for it shall be for many days.
This did not happen in Daniel’s day, nor during the time of Jesus Christ on earth. But now, some 2000 years after Jesus, it seems to be coming into these days.
8:27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick for days. Afterward I rose up, and did the king's business. And I was amazed at the vision, but there was no understanding.
Again, Daniel was sickened by what he was allowed to see, even with the explanation given by Gabriel.
More on this ‘little horn’ next time.