The Life of Daniel (14)

The prophet Daniel has spoken in the previous chapter about the Son of man; His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. The enemies will not be allowed to pluck one of His subjects out of His almighty hands. He will lead them safely through the wilderness and bring them to Himself, in spite of the many assaults of the enemies. Also, in Daniel 8 we read about the power of those who hated God and His people. Daniel received another vision two years after the one we read of in chapter seven. It happened while he was in the palace at Shushan.

The ram and the he goat

We read in verse 3, “Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.” This ram appeared to be very aggressive, pushing westward, and northward, and southward. There was not one that could deliver out of his hand. It is evident that he represents a powerful country, and verse 20 tells us something more about it. “The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.” They cast down the Babylonian powers and ruled over a large part of the Middle East. However, Daniel saw, in verse 5 that, “an he goat came from the west.” The he goat attacked the ram with the two horns and overcame him (verse 7), “but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.”

That he goat became extremely powerful; in verse 21 we read, “And the rough goat is the king of Grecia.” The great horn that the he goat had between his eyes is the first king. It is the king of the Greek/Macedonian dominion, Alexander the Great. Yet, it is an earthly power, no matter how great and impressive this temporal power is. We have seen this also in the history of the world. God’s servant may see this because also this Greek/Macedonian reign will be replaced. We read in verse 8, “the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.” That the great horn was broken symbolizes the death of Alexander the Great, and the four horns in place of it represent the four kingdoms into which Alexander’s empire was divided. How transient is earthly power and glory. The prophet Daniel sees that out of one of those four kingdoms “came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great.” It is the beginning of the reign of a terrible enemy of God and His service.

The war against the Lord of Israel

This little horn waxed great, “even to the host of heaven.” It became so mighty and so proud that we read in verse 11, “Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.” It had not been easy when the Medes and Persians reigned over Israel. Also, Alexander the Great was a heathen king, and where was now the glory of the God of Israel? During the power of the little horn that became exceeding great, it became much worse. An explanation we read in verse 23, “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.” It is the time after Malachi, the last prophet of the Old Testament, when Antiochus Epiphanes will excel in bold enmity and fierce anger against God’s service in Jerusalem.

It was after 175 B.C. when Jerusalem was brought under his power that the cruel ruler did not hesitate to desecrate the holy temple of God. How it must have grieved the Godfearing remnant that was still among the Jews. They have learned what David expressed in Psalm 27:4, “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” In this temple the daily sacrifices were taken away, and there were no priests serving there anymore. Instead of Israel’s ceremonial worship, a terrible idol, representing Zeus, was placed in the sanctuary. The cruel ruler, filled with enmity against God and His people, forced the Jews to eat swine meat, which was ceremonially unclean to them. All scrolls of the Old Testament had to be burned. No prayer could be offered to God in the temple, no circumcision, a token of God’s everlasting covenant, could be performed. This enemy was very sly and deceitful. Not only did it become true that he, verse 24, “shall destroy the mighty and the holy people,” we read: “And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many.”

Antiochus Epiphanes is a picture of the rule of the anti-Christ. It is as if Daniel may look to the end of times when God’s true church shall experience great tribulation and heavy oppression. Oh, how many will deny their faith and fall away. What a wonder it would be if we would remain faithful and not deny the great King. Then the oppressed church will say “How long yet, Lord, shall the enemy triumph and blaspheme Thy name?” The love to God shed abroad in their heart will cause them to mourn and grieve, also now in these days, about the sad condition of our countries and churches. Yes, we must also say “our churches.” The enemy knows he has only a little time, and also in these days of Coronavirus and restrictions, he will seek to destroy the churches where God’s truth may still be faithfully proclaimed. Oh, how we need one another. The many discussions concerning how to react to government instructions may drive one away from the other; instead, we together, in shame, should be sorrowing in our unworthiness before the Lord.

The almighty King

The enemy will not have the final victory. When the question is asked, verse 13, “How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?” the answer Daniel receives is that after 2,300 days, the sanctuary shall be cleansed. That implies that the enemy will be broken in his power and that God will arise to make His enemies flee. We read in verse 25 of Antiochus Epiphanes, “he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.” This is fulfilled in the life of this cruel ruler. God, the righteous Judge, summoned him to stand before His judgment seat; after suffering from a violent disease God took him away from the earth. The awful disease was an impressive token of God’s wrath, and nothing remained of this man’s imaginary power and high position. God’s judgments are just, but they come at His time because this was a war not only against Israel but against God.

In the last days, the end of times, the anti-Christ will also stand up against the Prince of princes, that is Christ, and he shall reign with great power, with craftiness, blinding people: “by peace shall destroy many.” Oh, how many in our days are poisoned by flesh-pleasing teachings and philosophies in universities, colleges, and in the media, to prepare the way for this anti-Christian world government. No, we do not have to believe in conspiracy theories, but God’s truth will stand forever, and this is the truth foretold already so many years ago by the prophet Daniel. We read of the anti-Christ in 2 Thessalonians 2:3b&4, “for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” That is what will happen in the end of times.

Will we stand the test? No, never in our own strength but only by the power of Him whom Daniel saw in this vision and who has said “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.”

My dear fellow travelers, the times are dark, and the footsteps of the coming King can be heard if only we may have ears to hear them. Bow before this King, surrender to Him, lay down your weapons, and ask Him to be your Captain and Leader so that you might be taught to fight the good fight of faith. Oh, you weak and crippled soldiers, who are led by this almighty, faithful and gracious Captain, you will not perish. He will safely keep you and lead you so that with Paul you may glory, “I have fought a good fight…I have kept the faith.” What a wonder. Then the Lord will forever receive all the honor and glory for this.

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