Question:  Do you think the world is getting better or that the world is getting worse?

Yes and no.  It kinda depends.  Doesn’t it?  In some ways the world is getting worse - a whole lot worse.  Man’s sin - man’s inhumanity to man - our ability to do evil things to each other.  In some ways things are getting better - advances in medicine for example - some applications of technology. 

But overall - the reason the world seems like its coming apart at the seams is because it is.  Which is nothing new.  Since Adam the world has always been in trouble.  The question is only of how quickly its tanking and to what degree.

Evil triumphs.  Sometimes it seems like evil is always triumphant.  That’s something we wrestle with.  Even in our own lives.  Times when we feel overwhelmed by what comes against us - anxious about the society we live in - wondering where God is.  Ever feel that way?  Oh yes.

Today we are at Daniel chapter 8.  We’re moving through the part of the Book of Daniel that focuses on prophecy - future history.  Having courage when evil triumphs.  As we’ve been doing we’re going to go through chapter 8 - unpacking as we go along - and then come to application for our lives.

Verses 1 and 2 introduce us to the drama of what was going on in Daniel’s Time. 

Daniel 8 verse 1:  In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, and after that which appeared to me at the first.  And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the capital, which is in the province of Elam.  And I saw in the vision and I was at the Ulai canal.

Last week - when we looked at chapter 7 - Daniel shared a vision he had in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign - what was about 549 BC.  What Daniel refers to here as the vision “which appeared to me at the first.”  This second vision comes about two years later in the third year of Belshazzar’s reign - 547 BC.

If you’ve been with us you’ll remember that Belshazzar comes from a really great loving warm fuzzy family…  Not really.

Belshazzar comes from a messed up family background where politics is murder.  Belshazzar is probably a pompous - proud - spoiled - rich brat - who’s really messed up.  He reigns in Babylon because Nabonidus - daddy - who is the sovereign king of the empire - Nabonidus is off elsewhere in the empire doing empire type stuff.  Meaning the guy running the government - Belshazzar - is a nut case. 

While that’s going on - the Medo-Persian Empire is threatening to conquer the Babylonians - which it does.  Which is the whole handwriting on the wall thing that comes 8 years later.  But the Babylonian government doesn’t seem to be doing anything about the Persians because the government - like its leaders - the government is really messed up.  

This is a map of the Babylonian Empire about the time of Belshazzar.  The green is the Babylonian Empire.  The brownish olive color is the Median Empire - what is transitioning into the Persian Empire under Cyrus.

Meaning that the Persians under Cyrus eventually take control of the Median Empire and it becomes the Persian Empire.  Which is what this map is about.  Looking at the size and extent of what becomes the Persian Empire.  We’re seeing here where all this is going.  Got that?

Going back to the first map.  Notice where Babylon is.  Susa is about 225 miles due east of Babylon.  It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Elam - which is where southwest Iran is today.  Do you see Elam there?  The Ulai Canal was probably a river just east of Susa - which flows south to the Persian Gulf.  The Ulai Canal was Susa’s water route to the world.

Why Daniel was in Susa we don’t know.

However - we do know from the historical records - that the Persians under Cyrus - that are slowly gaining dominance in the Median Empire -  Cyrus had probably assimilated Elam as some kind of vassal state or province.  Which was part of the Persians gobbling up territory on their way to becoming the greatest empire in history - to that point.

And Nabonidus - who is the ruler of the Babylonian Empire - really didn’t seem to know what to do about that.  So, he’d had taken on a weak policy of appeasement.  Make nice with the Persians and maybe they’ll leave us alone.

Its possible that Daniel is in Susa on some kind of “under that radar” diplomatic mission on behalf of Nabonidus.

We’re kind of together?

Pulling all that together:  If things were messed up in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign they’ve had 2 more years to get even more messed up.  All of which Daniel had a front row seat to - not only the growing rampage of evil in Babylon but the drama of an empire with weak and clueless leadership - soon to be conquered by the growing and  threatening power of the Persians. 

Daniel is in Susa - knowing that God is still sovereign - no matter how bad its going to get.  But, probably with unanswered questions and wondering to what extent evil would be allowed to rampage.

How will what we see going on around us in the world today effect us?  How are we suppose to respond to all that?  Ever wonder that? 

Verses 3 to 14 are Daniel’s Vision.  In the midst of all this uncertainty - dangerous messed up times - God gives Daniel a vision.

Verse 3:  I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal - what canal?  Ulai Canal -  It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.  I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward.  No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power.  He did as he pleased and became great.

Verse 5:  As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground.  And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.  He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath.  I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns.  And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him.  And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power.  Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

Hang onto this:  A ram with two horns which is trampled by a male goat.  The male goat has one large horn which is broken and replaced with four horns:  One ram - two horns.  One goat - one horn then four.

Verse 9:  Out of the one of them - these four horns on the goat - Out of the one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land.  It grew great, even to the host of heaven.  And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them.  It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host.  And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.  And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.

Verse 13:  Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?”  And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings.  Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful place.”

Let’s pause and take a breath.  Everyone breath.  All this is perfectly clear.  Right?  Good.  Let’s go on.

Verse 15 to 26 are The Interpretation.

Verse 15:  When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; -Which is encouraging.  Yes?  Daniel didn’t get this either.  We’re in good company.  Confused and in good company. 

When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it.  And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man.  And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”  So he - Gabriel—the one having the appearance of a man in verse 15 - So he - Gabriel - came near where I stood.  And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face.  But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”  And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground.  But he touched me and made me stand up.  He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end.” 

Let’s pause.  That is a lot to digest and there are few things here we need to make sure we’re clear on.

If you look on your Message Notes - or up here on the screen - you’ll see our chart from last week and how the ram and the goat connect with what we’ve been looking in previous chapters.  Hopefully that helps in understanding what we’re looking at here.

Two things we need to keep in our minds. 

First:  While this really is confusing - the stuff of God often is - while this may be confusing - God wants us to get it.

The best way to interpret prophecy is when Scripture interprets prophecy.  Which God does for us here.  At least enough to get His point.  Which is His purpose.  God wants us to get it.

When Daniel - like us - when Daniel says, “Uh, I don’t get it.”  God sends Gabriel - the “You will bring forth a Son” Gabriel.  In Scripture Gabriel is a messenger - an angel who takes messages from God to God’s people - explaining what God is doing.  God wants Daniel - and us - His people - to understand the point He’s making with this vision.

Second - the vision is a double exposure of future history.

This is a picture of my Dad’s mother from the Greek side of our family.  If you remember “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” - Greek for grandma is… “Yaya”  This is my Yaya.  Julia.

This picture was probably taken back in the 20’s.  Probably on Uncle Mihran’s vineyard up in Ceres.  What is now a warehouse and parking lot.  Because someone was having fun with photography both persons here are Yaya.  Yaya sitting and looking at Yaya holding grapes. 

It’s a double exposure.  Two events.  One picture.

Daniel is given a vision of something that will happen.  But, because of where we are in history - we’re looking back on it as something that has already happened.  And yet - here’s the double exposure part - the part where the pictures overlap - what has happened is yet to happen.

Sounds kind of like Star Trek.  Space time continuum stuff.

Jesus gave a prophecy like this.  Jesus was talking with His disciples and He predicted the fall of Jerusalem and circumstances related to its fall.  Which actually took place in 70 AD.  The Roman General Titus came through and sieged and sacked Jerusalem and his troops burned and took down the Temple.  Which we can look back on as historical fact.

And yet, all of what Jesus predicted hasn’t happened yet.  Jesus said, that the nations of the world will gather for battle around Jerusalem and then Jesus will return to earth.  What is future history - yet to come.  (Matthew 24:1-14). 

So the historic fulfillment - 70 AD - gives us - who come later in history - gives us an illustration - of what the future fulfillment will be like.  Its like God giving each of us - depending on where we are in the time line - giving each of us what we need to understand - what we need to know living when we’re living -  about what will take place.

We’re told three times in these verses.  Verse 17:  “the vision is for the time of the end.”  Verse 19:  “what shall be at the latter end of the indignation…   the appointed time of the end.”

Repetition why?  So we understand what’s going on here.  Daniel’s vision pertains to the time of the end - future history - even for us.  We haven’t come to that final end yet.  So, whatever was fulfilled - past history -  only gives us an idea of what will be fulfilled - future history. 

Are we kind of together on that?

Bottom line:  God wants us to get this.  What He’s showing us has present and future significance for us.

Keeping that in mind - let’s go on.  Verse 20:  As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. 

That’s easy to understand isn’t it?  God wants us to understand this.

Remember Certs.  “It’s two - two - two mints in one.”  That’ll date some of us.  The Medio-Persian Empire was really two separate empires in one. 

The ram - one empire - with two horns - represents two kings - a king of the Medes - and a king of the Persians.  The Medes came first.  Then slightly later the Persians arrived on the scene.  Which we saw with the maps.  Right?

Let’s be clear.  While power was initially shared - Medes and Persians - it really was the Persians who eventually dominated.  Think Cyrus.  Which may be why verse 3 says that one horn was longer than the other and that the longer horn came last.  The Persians - the greater of the two - came later.

The past history fulfillment of that we saw with the handwriting on the wall.  From where Daniel is in history - eight years after Daniel is given this vision - here in chapter eight - eight years later Cyrus - the Persian - who is the overall king of the Medio-Persian Empire - Cyrus the Persian conquered Babylon and killed Belshazzar.  Then Cyrus leaves Darius - the Mede - the lesser king - in charge of that part of the Empire.  Kinda Familiar?

Which brings us to verse 21 - which is the main emphasis of this vision. 

Verse 21:  And the goat is the king of Greece.  And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.  As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power. 

The goat represents what empire?  Greece.  That was easy.

Looking at this map - which shows the extent of Alexander’s empire.  Everything that isn’t yellow or blue.  Vast.

Looking at history - the large horn probably represents Alexander the Great - who sweeps through the area conquering people - overcoming Persia - around 333 BC - some 100 plus years after Daniel had this vision.  And along the way established the little Greek town of Alacham where my Yaya’s family is from. 

Alexander conquers Persia and heads to Egypt.  Josephus - the Jewish historian - records that when Alexander approached Jerusalem - threatening to take the city - the high priests took copies of the Book of Daniel - this very prophecy - took copies of it out and showed it to Alexander.  When Alexander saw that it had been predicted that he was to conquer Persia and rule the world he spared Jerusalem.

Talk about an interruption of the space time continuum.

One reason that sparing Jerusalem is hugely important is because if Alexander had sacked Jerusalem this whole prophecy would have been bogus.  The time line of future history would have been thrown off.  God is in control of all of this.  Yes?

By 323 BC - Alexander - a young man - who quickly rose to power - magnified himself exceedingly - Alexander dies from a combination of malaria and alcoholism.  As soon as he was mighty the horn is broken and four horns - four other kings - take over the empire.  Which we know from history did happen.  Four generals took over and ruled four separate sections of Alexander’s empire. 

Let’s go on verse 23:  And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise.  His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints.  By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hands, and in his own mind he shall become great.  Without warning he shall destroy many.  And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand.  The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”

Let’s stop and breath.  Everyone breath.  We need to make sure we’re on the page with what we’re seeing here.

Past fulfillment - future fulfillment.

First - let’s talk about the past fulfillment of this prophecy.

All that we’ve been reading - the ram and the goat - all that sets up the timing and identity of this last king.

What we’re seeing here is the division of Alexander’s empire into four parts .  Each part ruled by one of Alexander’s generals:  Cassander in raspberry - Lysimachus in brown.  Ptolemy in forest green - and Seleucus in bright green.

Seleucus ruled basically what today is Turkey, Asia Minor, and Syria.   The eighth king of Seleucus’ dynasty was Antiochus IV - known as Antiochus Epiphanes - came to power in 170 BC.

Antiochus fits the description here in chapter eight.  Epiphanes means “great” - “Antiochus the Great.”  His enemies called him Antiochus Epimanes - “Antiochus the Madman.”  Historians describe Antiochus as a master of intrigue, crafty, double-dealing, ruthless, treacherous, arrogant, proud.  Words that mirror the description in Daniel’s vision:  a king of bold face - think insolent - who understands riddles - he’s skilled in intrigue - He shall cause fearful destruction…  cunning…  deceitful… in his own mind he shall become great - he glorifies himself.  At one point Antiochus claimed the title Theos Epiphanes - “God Manifest.”  This was one real evil dude. 

In 167 BC - 280 years after Daniel saw this vision - Antiochus entered Jerusalem with a hatred for God and a hatred for God’s people.  What year?  167 BC.  Hold on to that.

Antiochus tried to destroy the scrolls of Scripture.  He butchered God’s people and killed children - hung all the circumcised boys.  At one point he crucified 100,000 people who refused to worship his false gods.  Fried them alive in oil.  Dismembered them.  Laughing at their agony. 

Antiochus defied the high priests - entered the Temple - built a pagan altar in the Temple and offered a pig as a sacrifice.  He ripped down the curtain to the holy of holies in the Temple - took the blood from the pig and sprinkled it around the sanctuary - defiling the whole place.  Then he erected a statue of Zeus in the Temple and proclaimed Zeus to be God and Yahweh to be foolish.

Evil is triumphant.  Right?

In verse 13 an angel asks, “How long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offerings…  how long will the sanctuary - the Temple - and the host - God’s people - how long will they be trampled under foot.  How long will this go on?”

The answer comes in verse 14:  2,300 evenings and mornings - “then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”

The continual burnt offerings - offered in the Temple - were offered once each evening and once each morning - so 2,300 evenings and mornings comes out to 1,150 days - just over 3 years.  Hold onto that number:  1,150 days.  How long?  1,150 days.

The Jewish historians of the time record that under Antiochus IV Epiphanes - 167 BC - remember the date?  When Antiochus - real evil dude - enters Jerusalem the offering was taken away for a period of just over three years.

Because - Judas Maccabaeus and his sons led a revolt - where God’s people retook Jerusalem - cleansed the Temple - and restored the offerings on December 14, 164 BC - 1,150 days from the time they were suspended.

Isn’t that cool?  Who’s in control?  God.

The second part of what we need to understand here is the future fulfillment of this prophecy.  The other part of the exposure.

The past fulfillment of this prophecy is historically accurate.  What all that points out is that we should expect the future fulfillment to be just as historically accurate.  What was true will be true - double exposure.

165 years after Antiochus Epiphanes had desecrated the Temple - Jesus had come out of the Temple and was sitting on the Mount of Olives.  His disciples asked Him, “Tell us...what will be sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)

Jesus - in His answer - says this, “When you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place…” - Antiochus - or the future Antiochus - when you see him standing in the holy place - then this will come about... (Matthew 24:15ff.)

Jesus goes on to say - when you see that happen then you’ll know its time to get out of Jerusalem.  If you’re out working in the field don’t take time to go home and grab your coat.  Just go.  Head for the hills.  If you’re pregnant or nursing a child its going to be rough.  Pray that it doesn’t happen in the winter.  Because you gotta’ move fast.

Point being:  what’s coming is the greatest tribulation the world has ever seen.  We get that because we know what Antiochus did and coming down through history we’ve seen a lot of evil done.  But, as evil a dude as Antiochus was - the coming abomination is far, far, worse.  Nothing we’ve seen so far will compare to the depth of evil unleashed

Jesus - like Daniel - is pointing to a future historical event yet to come.  “The final period - the time of the end - days in the future.”  When this king will arise to destroy mighty men and the holy people - to claim equality with the Prince of the host and challenge the Prince of princes - Jesus Himself - God.

As bad as we think things are today.  One day evil will be unrestrained - horrible - ugly - unimaginable things will take place.  Depravity will run its full course.  All of which will be led by one coming king - an anti-Christ king.

Verse 27 is Daniel’s Response.  And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days.  Then I rose and went about the king’s business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.

Daniel sees this vision - and like we saw in chapter 7 - he’s overwhelmed by it - exhausted - sick.  An emotional reaction with physical results.  Even with the explanation he still doesn’t really understand what he’s been shown.

Let’s be honest - this is hard stuff to deal with.  Would you agree with that?  Even with our perspective of history - past fulfillment of prophecy - and our understanding of Scripture - and God’s work in history - a perspective that Daniel never had - how are we suppose to process the apocalypse - the end of the world?  Events that we may even have a front row seat for today.

But what did Daniel do?  Verse 27.  He gets up and carries on the kings business.  He goes back to work.  Back to the daily routine.

Processing all that...  Hang on to three courage inspiring truths.

Second:  The coming abomination is abominable.  The anti-Christ - will be totally evil - making war with God’s people.  Things in life are often really really bad.  It they seem like they’re getting worse.  They are.  And they will continue to get worse.  But, God knows that.

Third:  All this will be brought to an end by God Himself.  Verse 25 says that “he - this abominable anti-Christ - shall be broken—but by no human hand.”  His days are numbered.  God has numbered them.  God has fixed the extent and boundary of his evil.  God will bring judgment and his end is without question.

There are different ways to respond to all this.

Some people spend their whole lives consumed by prophecy - running around telling everyone that the world is going to end.  Some kind of apocalyptic evangelism with lists and charts and diagrams… oh my.

Some people do the opposite.  They just try to avoid the whole thing altogether.  They say, “What difference does it make.  Jesus is coming back.  Why should I care about all this other stuff?”  Well, for one thing, God cares.  Preserved it for us to read and study.  God wants us to understand it.

Some people look at all this as an excuse to just head for the hills.  Sell stuff and live in Christian communities - doing Christian stuff - just waiting for Jesus to come back.  Some people seemingly are trying to stall the future - through politics and legislation and philanthropy.  But what God says will happen will happen.  Like it or not - the future of life on this planet has one certain end.

Daniel goes back to work.  Goes on doing what God has created and called him to do.

In John 15 - Jesus is talking with His disciples.  Remember these words, “I am the vine, you are the...  Branches.  Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.”  That whole teaching about remaining in Jesus - going through life tight with Him.  (John 15:5)

Then Jesus goes on - talks about the future - how the world is going to hate His disciples - us - and all that implies - the persecution - the torture - the ridicule - martyrdom.  The evil of the world leveled against the followers of Jesus Christ.

Then Jesus says, “I have said these things to you to keep you from falling away…  that when their hour comes - when those who are going to do evil against you take their best shot - you may remember that I told them to you.” (John 16:1-4)

Jesus prepared His disciples.  Told them what was going to happen.  He wanted them to get it.  So they wouldn't think that God had lost control.  So they could face it all with courage - take it all in stride.

Just as God prepares us - even with Daniel’s vision given over 1,400 years ago - pointing with certainty and accuracy to our future.  Evil will run rampant - and we ain’t seen nothing yet.  But God is in control.  Boundaries have been set.  We’re not surprised. 

When we see evil rise up we need to be reminded of God’s sovereignty and that we can live courageously.

God is giving us a great opportunity.  Not to run in terror.  But to live in hope.  Not focused on the evil and the coming anti-Christ king.  But on Jesus the Christ - the King of kings - His presence and power.  Living knowing that in Him we have victory over all of what comes against us.  We have a secure eternal victory and life with God.

Evil happens.  But God’s plan for us never changes.  He gives us a great opportunity to go on doing what our sovereign King has created and called us to do - in a world coming apart at the seams to testify of Him - for His honor and His glory.

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Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®  (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.