►Tuesday, Feb 18, 2014 || END TIME SERIES Part Eight►Daniel 8
(2) THE MEANING: Daniel’s Dream of the Ram, Goat, Horns & little horn. PLEASE, TAKE TIME TO READ BECAUSE IT SHOWS HOW TO IDENTIFY THE ANTI-CHRIST.
1-2: In king Belshazzar's 3rd yr reign, Daniel, who was abt 87yrs, had a vision in the palace of Shushan, the capital of Babylonian empire, in the province of Elam (Persia, now Iran) by the river of Ulai. By this time, Babylonian Empire was on the verge of collapsing, abt to make way for another super power.
3-4&20: The RAM Daniel saw represented the MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE. The two horns were the Kings of Media (shorter horn, Darius, came first) & Persia (higher horn, Cyrus, came last). NB: In Chapter 2 in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, we saw that Medo-Persian Empire/kingdom was represented by the chest and arms (Made of Silver); In Daniel's dream in Chapter 7, it was represented by the 2nd Beast (Bear); & in Daniels Vision here in Chapter 8, it is represented by a RAM. Don' also forget that we learned in Chapter 7 that the 2nd Beast (Bear) spread by conquest in 3 directions; North, South & West. Here in Chapter 8 too, Daniel saw the RAM pushing westward, northward & southward. Note that Medo-Persian Empire (Chest & Arms, Bear, Ram) forgot about God later, grew according its own will & became great in men's eyes. That is when it was ready to be humbled by the Almighty.
5-8 & 21-22: The he/shaggy Goat represented the GRECIAN/GREEK EMPIRE. In Daniel Chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar saw it to be the Belly & Thighs (Made of Bronze); In Chapter 7, Daniel saw it in his vision as the 3rd Beast (Leopard); & here in Chapter 8, Daniel saw it in his vision as a Shaggy/He Goat. The great horn in between its eyes was their first king, Alexander. History teaches he was called Alexander the Great. Many years before men called him Alexander the Great, when he was not even yet born, when probably his parents had not been born, let alone married, God had already foretold Daniel. Greece came from the West to defeat Medo Persia. History tells us that Medo-Persia first conquered Greece but Greece bounced back & with great fury, it defeated Medo-Persia (Iran) & raised it to the ground. Don' forget, in Chapter 7, we learned that the 3rd Beast (Leopard) spread through 4 directions; North, South, East & West and when it was destroyed, 4 kingdoms emerged from it. It is being reinforced here in Chapter 8. And history teaches us that when Alexander ''the great (horn)'' died at abt age 33, four kingdoms, headed by 4 of his Generals, emerged; the North (Syria), South (Egypt), East (Turkey) & West (Greece). But they were not as powerful as Alexander himself. But two of these 4 kingdoms are of prophetic essence; they are SYRIA & EGYPT. When we get to Daniel Chapter 11, God will teach us many lessons because He explains in detail Syria & Egypt. This is because to the North of ISRAEL is Syria & to the south is Egypt.
9-12&23-25: After Alexander's death, and out of the 4 kingdoms; North (Syria), South (Egypt), East (Turkey) & West (Greece), WOULD COME a little horn towards and move to the south, east and the beautiful land. And history teaches us that ''the little horn''
FIRST represents the General of Alexander who took the northern kingdom (Syria). Now, in fulfillment of Daniel's vision/prophecy, history tells us Antiochus IV Epiphanes (a.k.a. Mithridates), a Greek & a descendant of the General who took Syria, came to the south (Egypt) to wage war against it. But more importantly, he caused harm to Jerusalem (the Beautiful Land). How? History tells us that while Antiochus was busy in Egypt, rumor spread that he had been killed. The deposed High Priest Jason gathered a force of 1,000 soldiers & made a surprise attack on the city of Jerusalem. The High Priest appointed by Antiochus, Menelaus, was forced to flee Jerusalem during a riot. On Antiochus return from Egypt in 167 BC, enraged by his defeat, he attacked Jerusalem and restored Menelaus & executed many Jews. Thus, when he heard the news in Egypt, he though Judea was in revolt. So raging like a wild animal, he set out from Egypt and took Jerusalem by storm. He ordered his soldiers to cut down without mercy those whom they met and to slay those who took refuge in their houses. There was a massacre of young and old, a killing of women and children, a slaughter of virgins and infants. In the space of three days, eighty thousand were lost, forty thousand meeting a violent death, and the same number being sold into slavery. He sided with the Hellenized Jews by outlawing Jewish religious rites & traditions kept by observant Jews & by ordering the worship of Zeus as supreme god. This was anathema/abomination to the Jews & when they refused, Antiochus sent an army to enforce his decree. Because of the resistance, the city of Jerusalem (the Beautiful, Holy Land) was destroyed, many were slaughtered, & a military Greek citadel called the ''Acra'' (Not Accra) was established. This happened abt 2 centuries B.C.
SECOND: The little horn, which represented Antiochus IV Epiphanes, represents THE ANTI-CHRIST IN THE END TIMES. So, once again, God hid the Church age (abt 200yrs) from Daniel and he was fast-forwarded to the reign of Anti-Christ; a king of fierce countenance & understanding dark sentences; his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power (but given him by satan): and he shall destroy wonderfully (through false miracles & pretense), & shall prosper (false prosperity), and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people (True Jews of God & Truly saved Gentiles). So here is the summation of the features of the Anti-Christ (1) he'll emerge when SIN/TRANSGRESSION has reached its highest point. (2) he'll be full of PRIDE; very boastful (3) expert in LIES through diplomacy & policy (3) SPEAK AGAINST GOD (4) he'll PERFORMING FALSE MIRACLES (5) himself & his followers will love, preach & practice prosperity gospel/message (which is false) (6)he'll love to have Jerusalem; the Beautiful/Holy City (6) he'll wage war against CHILDREN OF GOD & he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. We learned in Daniel Chapter 2 that a ROCK was cut and hit the foot/feet of the Statue. Thus Satan & the Anti-Christ will be destroyed; and the false prophets, teachers & all those whose names were not found in the Lamb's Book of Life will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.
But here is the discernment of Spirits; Dear Reader, Do Not wait till this man of sin appears; his spirit is ALREADY AT WORK, right from the time of Nebucchadnezzar (Head of Gold, Lion) through to the Church age (abt 2000yrs) & before he surfaces, his spirit would have prepared the grounds for him. Whenever U see or hear Lies, Pride, hatred for and persecution of Christ & His followers, when the world is crying for peace, freedom of worship & rights, superiority, one world government, music, religion, currency etc, please note that the spirit of Anti-Christ is at work. If U are proud, a liar, boastful, feel superior to others, or exhibit any kind of sin, please go on your knees, confess & repent from your sins. Christ will accept U and make U His won. If U are not on Christ's side, I can tell U without mincing words that U are on the devil's side. THERE IS NO MIDDLE WAY.
As for the 2,300 days that the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, and the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot, I don' know. God hasn't shown me whether it is actual days or years. Anyone who uses his human mind to explain it makes an error. Mr. William Miller (1782-1849), made a huge blunder by saying the 2300 evenings & mornings were ''years and counted forward from 457 BC when the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem was given (Dan. 9:24-25).'' When his initial predictions failed, he adjusted his findings to conclude that Jesus would return on March 21, 1844 and then later on October 22, 1844. After these too failed, Miller quit promoting his ideas on Jesus' return and the "Millerites" broke up. Mr. Joseph Bates (1792-1872), a retired sea captain and a convert to "Millerism" then began to promote the idea of Jesus moving into the heavenly sanctuary. He published a pamphlet which greatly influenced James (1821-1881) and Ellen G. White (1827-1915). It is these three who were the driving force behind the SDA movement. Numerous reports state that Ellen G. White saw visions from an early age. Such was the case shortly after the Great Disappointment. Mrs. White claimed to see in a vision of narrow path where an angel was guiding Adventists. Subsequent visions resulted in interpretations of the three angels in Rev. 14:6-11 as being 1843-1844 as the hour of God's judgment; the fall of Babylon signified by Adventists leaving various churches.
On the morning following the "Great Disappointment" of October 22, 1844, a Mr. Hiram Edson claimed to have seen a vision. He said that he saw Jesus standing at the altar of heaven and concluded that Miller had been right about the time, but wrong about the place. In other words, Jesus' return was not to earth, but a move into the heavenly sanctuary as is referenced in Heb. 8:1-2.
So my Question is: WHO FORCED THEM? Remember, one Camping, who recently died, also falsely predicted that Christ was goin' to return in 2012 but his prediction failed. NEVER EVER TRY TO FIX A DATE FOR CHRIST'S 2ND COMING. NOBODY KNOWS THE EXACT DATE OR HOUR. GOD ONLY GAVE US THE SIGNS OF HIS COMING SO THAT WE (HIS CHILDREN) WILL NOT BE CAUGHT UNAWARE. In sum, we know the SIGNS but not the DATE/HOUR of His 2nd Coming. Praise God.
clearly, there is synergy/consistency among Daniel Chapters 2, 7 & 8. God's Word is True. At the Right/Appointed Time, The Kingdoms (Parts of the statue, the Beasts) emerged & at the Right/Appointed Time, each was overthrown. Therefore, at the Right Time the Ten Kingdoms we've studied earlier & the Anti-Christ will appear & at the Right/Appointed Time, THE MESSIAH, THE KING OF KINGS & THE LORD OF LORDS, WILL OVERTHROW THEM ALL & ESTABLISH HIS EVERLASTING KINGDOM. IT'S MY HUMBLE PRAYER THAT GOD HAVE MERCY ON US AND MAKE US PART OF THOSE WHO ARE GOIN' TO BE PART OF HIS KINGDOM. AMEN.
GOD will give us GREAT LESSONS WE ARE TO LEARN FROM the Book of DANIEL, especially Chapters 2, 7 & 8 later today.
--Samuel Kwasi Forkuo
ALL THE GLORY/CREDIT/PRAISE SHOULD BE GIVEN TO GOD
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