Today’s Reading: Daniel 8, Revelation 13:11-18

In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, Daniel saw another vision. The vision started with a ram standing beside the Ulai River. The ram had two horns, one longer than the other.

The ram butted everything out of his way to the west, to the north, and to the south, and no one could stand against him or help his victims. He did as he pleased and became very great. – Daniel 8:4

As Daniel watched, a shaggy male goat appeared from the west so quickly that his feet did not even touch the ground. He had a large horn between his eyes and came charging at the ram, striking him and breaking off both of his horns. Now the ram who had become so great was the helpless one. The goat knocked him down and trampled on him and there was nothing anyone could do to rescue the ram from the powerful goat.

The goat continued to grow more and more powerful until his horn was broken off and replaced by four horns pointing in all four directions — west, north, east and south. Then from one of the horns came a small horn who grew in power. It reached up to the heavens to attack the heavenly army, knocking some of the heavenly beings and stars to the ground and trampling on them. It canceled the daily sacrifices to the Commander of heaven’s army and destroyed the temple.

Then I heard two holy ones talking to each other. One of them asked, “How long will the events of this vision last? How long will the rebellion that causes desecration stop the daily sacrifices? How long will the Temple and heaven’s army be trampled on?” The other replied, “It will take 2300 evenings and mornings; then the Temple will be made right again.” – Daniel 8:13-14

The angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel to explain that these events would take place at the very end of time. Overwhelmed by all he saw, Daniel fainted with his face to the ground. The same angel who announced the birth of John the Baptist and then the birth of Jesus Christ reached down to Daniel and helped him to his feet. He explained that the two-horned ram represented the kings of Media and Persia, and the goat represented the king of Greece (Alexander the Great) and how his kingdom would be split into four kingdoms. He then spoke to Daniel of another leader who would rise up at the end of human history.

“At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but HE WILL BE BROKEN, though not by human power.” – Daniel 8:23-25

OUR GOD WILL PREVAIL

Paul spoke of this great rebellion in his second letter to the Church of Thessalonica. He told how a man of lawlessness will exalt himself and defy God, even sitting in the temple of God claiming to be God. He will come to do the work of Satan but our God will prevail!

For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. – 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12

Lawlessness is already at work all around us, but it is being held back from its full potential of destruction. Although it would be easy to succumb to fear of the unknown turmoil to come, we can rejoice in the power of our Savior. All the Lord Jesus will have to do is breathe for this man of lawlessness to be killed. Jesus will come in all of His splendor and evil will be destroyed.

So do not be deceived by evil. Choose to love and accept the truth that can and will save us. Cling to the truth and refrain from being enticed by all this sinful world tempts us to enjoy. The pleasures of this world are temporary, its power is counterfeit and its promises are false. Jesus will come, evil will be destroyed, and our God will prevail!

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast… – Revelation 19:19-20a