Text: Daniel 8:1-27
This is the perspective of what Daniel is developing in his soul through these amazing visions (v.13). He as a Jewish exile would naturally be focused on enduring and surviving the seventy years in Babylon. And this would be with the hope in mind of returning to his sacred home. But these visions are more than just Jerusalem and his home country; for they include great and mighty movements of God upon the global stage. Here, the Jews are to learn that they have a global ministry. In short, Daniel’s perspective is being made larger; he needs to understand his place in the world, not just in Babylon. Verse 13 is a terrible fact of the future; someone would enter into the Holy Temple of Yahweh and offer pagan Sacrifices on the place where only a Levite priest should enter.
We now know that this, indeed, happened in fulfillment of this prophecy. How then were the Jews to have a spiritual influence in the world and fulfill the covenant promises of Abraham?
This chapter is helpful for we now have the Angel Gabriel to help interpret these series of visions for us (vv.20, 21, 25). Daniel is currently serving a wicked king, yet he has to endure a vision which shows that things will become worse than they presently are. Greece will, indeed, conquer the known world of the Near East; but right in the middle of this are God’s precious people in Jerusalem.
An arrogant mad man arose, as the King/Emperor of the Greek Empire, which stretched all the way from Macedonia/Greece through the Middle East to modern day Pakistan, in fulfillment of this prophecy, over three hundred years later (in 167 BC). His name was Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He persecuted the Jews and offered pagan sacrifices, like pigs, in the Temple, forbade the Sabbath and other Jewish holy days and decreed against circumcision; just as had been prophesied. As stated in verse 25, he was indeed, broken; for his blasphemy and his terrible reign quickly came to an end.
What is the point of all this? We must have God’s perspective of the world.
Our local spiritual struggles are significant, because Satan realises that his time is short, and the people of God will ultimately win the war. We are not just a local movement, focused on local politics or struggles; for we are part of God’s righteous army in the world. We must realize and act on the reality that we are part of God’s plan to bring the Gospel to the entire world, and we will be successful! God may, indeed, have a plan for our suffering, and for a few years it may seem that our suffering will be all that we will ever know. But our eyes should always be on Jesus, the author and the perfect mentor of our faith!
This is because God has guaranteed our victory! He will honor and fulfill His covenant promises to us, bringing His judgement and the end of this present age. We can with full confidence look forward to a glorious future.
Meditate on verse 25. How are you going to respond to it?
Heavenly Father, break down the means of the enemy to fight Your children. In the name of Jesus Christ I have prayed. Amen.