Superpowers in Conflict - Part 1

Undermined Christian lady asked have you ever noticed how many animal expressions like problems would become angry as a beer and slow as a function today on Turning Point David Jeremiah considers the power of a different kind of animal symbolism revealed in one of Daniel's visions, continuing his series. The handwriting on the listen uses today's compelling message superpowers and called when you know a principal in the early days of Israel's history said that if the prophets words didn't come true. I'm totally true.

He was false prophet Daniel's prophetic words came true in a shocking degree of detail is vision of the means the Persians and the Greeks was fulfilled exactly as he sought. So what you think we should do when he talks about the future. How should we respond to that. Well I think if you told the truth and we can trace it here and he's gonna tell the truth about the future as well. That's one of the advantages of studying prophetic truth it brings so much confidence to your understanding of the word of God will get to this in just a moment as we open our Bibles to the eighth chapter of Daniel. Today's lesson is called superpowers in conflict. The eighth chapter of Daniel really pictures the Gentile powers as cruel, fierce, brutal, rapacious wild beasts, we are able in the eighth chapter of Daniel to look into the heart of all the world governments and see them as they really are not as they appear to but as God sees them. When we study the seventh chapter of the book of Daniel and the eighth chapter we see the real genius of world government to be selfish and greedy shown to be the governor and materialism as monarch Daniel seven and eight. Give us God's viewpoint of the Gentile powers as they really are. According to God. Gentile governments act like wild unclean beast destined to perish in here in our passage that we meet to those beasts around in the goat now.

This chapter records the second vision that Daniel personally received.

You know the first part of the book. Daniel was always interpreting somebody else's vision, but now the second part of the book of Daniel is having his own vision in order for us to understand what's going on and really appreciate what God is doing in communicating to Daniel.

Through this vision, we have to look at a few introductory things and I'll try to help you along the way. By telling you the signpost so you can get them down in your own thinking. First of all, were going to look at this vision into sections. First, as we look at the reception of the vision some introductory true and then at the revelation of the vision what the vision actually communicate. Let's begin with some thoughts about the reception of this vision that God gave to Daniel. First of all, its position in the book. The book is put together into sections.

Chapters 1 through six are history chapter 7 through 12 are prophecy and the prophecies of seven through 12 are laid again upon the grid of the history of one through six and you see that immediately when you read the beginning of the eighth chapter and discover in the eighth chapter that this vision took place in Daniel's life in the third year of the reign of King Belle Shatzer and you think to yourself, wait a minute, I just got done reading the fifth chapter of the book of Daniel and Belle Shatzer went down with his kingdom.

When the handwriting was on the wall and the Babylonian kingdom was all over. If one is gone. In chapter 5, what's Belle shows are doing in chapter 8 that's the key. Daniel's vision of chapter 8 Actually Took Pl. If you want to put it chronologically between the fourth and the fifth chapter in the history of the first section and that's very important to understand because what God is going to communicate to Daniel in the eighth chapter prepares them to understand what he needs to know when he walks on the scene in the fifth chapter. This vision came to Daniel just before the tragic events of the end of the Babylonian empire what Daniel saw that night helped him to know how to decipher the handwriting on the wall when God wrote on the wall many many you Farson and Daniel walked into that drunken brawl and he said what that means is your kingdom is divided and it's given to the Medes and Persians. How do you suppose Daniel knew that God already communicated to him. The future of Israel as it related to the Medes and Persians in this very chapter so you see it's important to get the chapter positioned in the book the position now if you're taking notes you might want to write down that this vision came to Daniel, approximately 550 to 549 BC and the Daniel at this point in time is about 67 to 70 years of age and that two years have elapsed between the vision he had in chapter 7 and the vision he's going to have in chapter 8 that's the position of the vision that let me give you a second thought. By way of introduction that has to do with the profile of the vision you remember back in the second chapter when we first got into all of these Gentile nations that the vehicle that God used to communicate this to us babbling was the head and the Medes and the Persians were the shoulders and the arms and grace was the torso and Rome was the legs of the feet to remember that God gave to Daniel in chapter 2 the whole panorama of Gentile history from the time of babbling right up until the end time even to the divided Roman Empire in the future.

Now in chapter 8. I want you to think as if God had given to you. Now a zoom lens and you're able to take that zoom lens and zoom in on the middle section of that image, and you're going to see now just the arms and shoulders and the torso chapter 8 doesn't have anything to do really with babbling has nothing to do with the role. It's all about the Persians needs and the Greeks say pastor Jeremiah. Why would God devote a special chapter just to the Medes and the Persians and the Greeks. I'm glad you asked. The reason is this, that the entire focus from now on in the rest of the book of Daniel is on the Gentile powers only as they relate to the Jews in the first part of the book we were studying Gentile history. Quite apart from Israel, but in the last part of the book were going to study the Gentile history as it relates to the people of Israel and of course there are any nations that are more important in the study of the history of Israel than the Persians and the Greeks, for if you know your Old Testament you know that it was under the Persian government that the Jews were allowed to return from babbling because of Cyrus and set up their land again and begin their worship again and then it was under the Greeks that the temple and the city was ultimately destroyed and so were going to see how the Medes and the Persians and the Greeks focus in on the life of Israel and the life of the Jews. That's the profile of the vision which leads me to explain one other minor thing that you might want to know in chapters 2 through seven. If you study the Old Testament in the original language you're studying Aramaic with the reason the chapters 2 through seven are written in Aramaic is simply because they're all about the Gentile powers and that was the language of the day when you come to the eighth chapter. All of a sudden, we are now out of the Aramaic and were back in the Hebrew because again we are dealing with the Jews and how God is going to uniquely and wonderfully deal with them. In fact if you look in the ninth verse of the eighth chapter of the book of Daniel, you'll see a name there that gives you a clue as to the significance of the Israelites in this prophecy, and out of one of them came for the little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south toward the east, and toward what's it say the pleasant land. That's Israel. In fact, it's interesting to read through the Bible and discovered that the land of Israel is called Canaan in the holy land the Lord's land and Emmanuel's land in the land of Israel in the land of the Hebrews land of Judah in the land of promise and land of Palestine, and right here it's called the pleasant land so immediately were introduced to the importance of the land of Palestine in the prophetic structure of this book for you see, ever since the time of Abraham the land of Israel has been the nerve center of the world, and ever since the time of Jesus Christ, the land of Israel has been the true center of the world. There is coming a day in the future when we call that period of time, the millennium, when the land of Israel will be the peace center of the world as we look at our newspapers today, we discover at this time it's the storm center of the world. Praise God there's a time coming in the future when it will be the home center of the world for the Jews would God is introducing us now to his own people is telling us that some events are going to transpire that will affect Jews.

Therefore there's a switch in the language. Let me get you 1/3 God as we introduce the reception of this vision that has to do with the place of the vision in the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even on the me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first and I saw in a vision, and it came to pass, when I saw that I was at Shushan in the palace which is in the province of Elam, and I saw the vision and I was by the canal of July. Now that probably to move anybody but let me tell you something when you understand what's going on here you move you, you realize that when this prophecy came to Daniel and he was transported in his vision to Shushan the city of the palace that at that particular time. Shushan was a little insignificant city at the fringe area of the Babylonian kingdom and if you had the top 40 cities of battle and you wouldn't pick it out of the top 40 to be worth anything. It was an unknown place of absolutely no significance to the Babylonian kingdom and God in his wisdom transported the prophet Daniel.

He didn't go there, actually. But in his vision. He was transported and he sees himself standing in the palace at Shushan by the river and actually the word. There is canal because the one in the river there was a man-made canal that ran in front of the palace and Daniel sees himself standing there in that place in my estimation, that's one of the most amazing things were going to study in the chapter because you see, though it wasn't important at all to the Babylonian kingdom if you know your Bibles.

You know that after babble and fell the Medes and the Persians came in when you get to the Persian time and your reading the Persian literature in the Old Testament and you open your Bibles to Nehemiah chapter 1 in verse one, and you read the words of Nehemiah, the son of hacker liar and it came to pass in the month of shoes live in the 20th year as I was in Shushan the palace and then you read the book of Esther and you read in the first two verses of that book. Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus. This has you where us rain from India, even unto Ethiopia over 107 and 20 provinces that in those days when the king sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace and so long before the Persian Empire was ever begun before it ever came to pass long before they even knew that they were a threat to their kingdom long before chapter 5. When Babylon fell God spoke to Daniel and in the vision he transported him to the very nerve center of the next kingdom about which this whole chapter speaks and Daniel is in the very center of that prophecy in his mind's eye.

Now let me speak, just briefly about the purpose of this vision. The purpose of this vision is to prepare Daniel for the end of the Babylonian kingdom and help them know what to say and do when he walks into that drunken party and he sees the handwriting on the wall when he's seen this vision from God and he understands now that what God is saying to Belshazzar is that the Babylonian kingdoms over in the Medes and Persians are on their way and it's doomsday for babbling the next dynasty is about to begin. In fact if you look over in your Bibles in the eighth chapter to verse 17, you'll discover that when Daniel is getting the interpretation of this vision. He is told that the vision is about the time of the end. In verse 19 were told that it is for the time appointed when the end shall be and whatever that phrase is used in the Scripture.

It always means the time of the end of the rebellion for the northern kingdom of Israel meant the time when the northern kingdom was assimilated by the Assyrian and their kingdom fell for the kingdom of Judah. It meant the time when the Babylonians came and sacked the city of Jerusalem, and that kingdom fell in the ruins for the time of the Babylonians meant the moment when the Medes and the Persians slipped in under the city and took that kingdom apart God is telling Daniel about the time of the end it is not talking just about the end of this particular time, but he is positioning himself to teach Daniel about the end of time itself. When the kingdoms of this world shall be assimilated into the kingdom of our God and of our Christ was look for just a moment at the paraphrase of the vision. Daniel is having this vision from God.

It's interesting to note his response to God's communication to them.

I don't know if you notice this as you read it, but I don't miss these kind of things because I identify with them.

Verse one. Daniel says in the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar vision appeared unto me, even on the me Daniel seems surprised by that verse 15 and it came to pass, when I even I Daniel had seen the vision in verse 17 says it. When Daniel began understand what was involved in the vision he was afraid and he fell on his face and then the key to the whole thing is understanding Daniel's attitude about receiving truth from God is found in the very last verse of the chapter. Daniel says and I Daniel fainted and was sick. Certain days you talk about being emotionally involved in communication process. Daniel was emotionally involved when God gave to him. This unbelievable vision of the future.

Daniel was so emotional that he said I faded and I was sick. Certain we can understand that if we just read this in the blogs that we so often read the Scripture.

I want to tell you something, folks.

All you have to do is fantasize what would happen if you were alone in your home and please don't anybody do this because it's beyond the bounds of Scripture, but just dream with me for a moment, God came and spoke to you in the vision he showed you what was going to happen to the United States of America. In the years to come.

Probably a good thing we don't know that it when God showed that the Daniel he was afraid and he got sick.

Now the problem was he didn't know what it meant and so in verse 15 were told that when he had seen the vision he saw for the meaning. And so God sent someone to them, to telling what it meant. I want to take just a moment is when God sent somebody to help you understand. He doesn't dig down to the bottom echelons of heaven he sends the best there is. And he dispatched Gabriel down to tell Daniel what this was all about. By the way, this is the only book in the Old Testament were angels are mentioned by name, with the exception of Lucifer and in the book of Daniel.

We meet both Gabriel and Michael. Now Gabriel if I could be so bold for just a moment is to say it was God's public relations Angel when ever dotted some special Sherry always dispatched Gabriel. In fact, he appears here in this chapter over in chapter 9 verse 21 when you get to the New Testament. You see them in Luke chapter 1 he comes down he talks to Zacharias Lisa Zacharias son born you by the name of John the Baptist is pretty important news and then in the next few verses. He comes again and he speaks this time to Mary and he says you're going to have a son to name Jesus Christ folks whenever Gabriel speaks you better listen he's got some big news that the word David itself is very interesting if interested in words. There's a word in the Old Testament language of Hebrew called locavore, which means the mighty one. The letters in the Hebrew word RG DR bore and of course if you know the Old Testament language you know that one of the names for God in the Old Testament is the two letter word ale ale shall die all of the cognates of the God names now look at the word Gabriel GVR EL, the mighty one God. God dispatched the mighty one from heaven down to tell Daniel what this dream was all about how one last little thing about this vision by way of a general statement. I want you to notice as we began to study this eighth chapter what the plan of this vision is a God didn't send unorganized visions to his prophets. He always organized and plan them out so they understand exactly what was going on and in essence what God is going to teach Daniel ultimately is the truth concerning the man who we know is the antichrist was going to come in the end of time and be a destroyer but in order for God to get that message through to Daniel so that he understands it in his own terms. He gives it to eliminate three bold measure. He looks out into the future.

Beginning at verse 23 to a person called the King of fierce countenance. That's the antichrist.

Then he gives to him to earlier persons in history who are pictures of the antichrist and one of them is called the notable horn or the great horn if you marking your Bibles.

You can draw a line under his name in verse five.

The notable horn and then draw the line up to verse eight where you see his name again, the great horn. That's the first person and then in verse nine you meet another king who is called the little horn, and then finally, in verse 23 you see the final horn the Bighorn a little on the final horn. That's a pretty good outline provision is ever going to study each of these individuals as we have opportunity in the eighth chapter. If you studied the book of Daniel. You know that the word horn means King or power or kingdom. So were talking here about three Kings, two Kings, who prefigured the final King, who is the antichrist who will rule the whole. Now it's time for the race. So let's get into the animals. Chapter 8 verse three Daniel said I lifted up my 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 and I saw the ram pushing northward and westward and southward, so that no beasts might stand before him.

Neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand, but he did according to his will and he became great. Now the first animal that Daniel sees is a ram with two horns using a pastor who in the world is that well. The Bible tells us who that is just as plain and simple. As you can read right off the page. Look at verse 20 the ram which thou saw us having to horns. These are the kings of media and Persia. Thank you I appreciate that. That helps me a whole lot understand what's going on here who is the ram with two horns, the ram is the Medo Persian Empire and the kings of media and Persia. Now go back again to the third and fourth verse and notice how very meticulous this prophecy really is.

I lifted up my eyes and saw Anna ram stood before river which had to horns and the two horns were high, but one was higher than the other and a higher came up last. If you studied along with us in the book of Daniel.

You know that after Belshazzar was taken out in the Babylonian kingdom fell. The meads came along first and Darius the Mead opens the sixth chapter and then they were joined with the Persians and before you know it you're not hearing any more about the meads. The Persians are in control and the Persians simulate the whole median kingdom just as the prophecy says the horn, which is the highest came up last and grew bigger than the other. The Persian Empire assimilated the median Empire just exactly as the prophecy said it would happen so Cyrus and his son can basis the second built in invincible and establish the largest empire the world never seen that day in the meads in the Persians just as the Scripture said move northward and westward and southward, and no other kingdom could stand before them, and none was able to deliver out of his hand, but he did according to his will and he that is a very Description of what happened when the Medo Persian empire was built and began to grow well.

We put up marker here to come back and talk some more about this tomorrow then will take a break for the weekend and we come back on Monday and Tuesday when you talk about a guy who's really famous in the Old Testament Scriptures's name is Antiochus epiphanies, Antiochus epiphanies, one of the most wicked, vile man who ever walked on this earth and you going to see how he played in the discussion. Daniel is having with us about the future and join us tomorrow. Right here on this concession for more information on Dr. Jeremiah series. The handwriting on the please visit our website David Jeremiah adult/radio we offer two free ways to help you stay coming out monthly magazine Turning Points and have daily email devotional sign up today at David Jeremiah adult/white that's David Jeremiah adult/radio when you do, be sure to ask you a copy of David's helpful and encouraging you folks. Since the questions about living in the last things its rules for gift of any amount you can also purchase the Jeremiah study Bible and the English standard version of the new international vision as well as stable large print in the new King James useful notes and articles by Dr. Jeremiah David Jeremiah adult/radio titles join us tomorrow as we continue the handwriting on the heel on Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah for taking time to listen to on to my friend he's increased in size and will