Welcome to The Deep Dive. Today, we're embarking
on really a fascinating journey into one of the
most compelling, maybe enigmatic, ancient texts
out there, the book of Daniel. That's right.
You've provided us with excerpts from this really
powerful source. And our mission, well, it's
to unpack its rich narratives, its prophetic
visions, and pull out those key insights, those
surprising facts that really help you get properly
informed. It's a text that... It masterfully
weaves together, you know individual perseverance
really dramatic historical events and some complex
symbolic prophecies Yeah, we'll explore how one
remarkable individual navigated just immense
political pressure and how his wisdom well It
fundamentally shaped the fate of empires all
while drawing out, you know, what's the lasting
relevance for you? Okay, let's dive right in.
We'll start at the very beginning of our source
material, kind of setting the scene and into
Babylon. So our source is open with King Nebuchadnezzar
of Babylon laying siege to Jerusalem. This is
during the reign of King Jehoiakim. And we learned
that Jehoiakim himself and valuable vessels from
the temple were taken back to Babylon. And what's
truly striking here isn't just the conquest itself,
though that's significant, but the meticulous
instructions King Nebuchadnezzar gave to Ashkenaz,
his master of eunuchs. They weren't just grabbing
any captives, you see. The king specifically
sought out very particular young men from Israel.
Like a specific type. Exactly. The text describes
them as those in whom was no blemish, but well
-favored and skillful in all wisdom and cunning
in knowledge. You know, basically the best and
brightest. Physically perfect, smart, capable.
Precisely. Yeah. People who could be trained
in the learning in the tongue of the Chaldeans
for three years, he wanted them integrated into
his court. And among these, these carefully selected
youths were Daniel, Hanemiah, Michelle, and Azariah.
Now, here's where, you know, an early test of
conviction comes up. The king appointed them
a daily provision of his own meat and wine, royal
fare. Yeah, good stuff. But Daniel, as our source
says, he purposed in his heart that he would
not defile himself. And this immediately presented
a, well, a significant challenge for Daniel.
How do you uphold your deeply held convictions
without putting the guy in charge of you, the
eunuch, his life in jeopardy? Tricky situation.
Very. His solution was remarkably wise, sort
of strategic. He requested a 10 day trial. He
proposed, let them give us pulse to eat and water
to drink. Pulse, so like vegetables, legumes.
Exactly, a simple vegetarian diet basically.
And the outcome? After those 10 days, well, the
source reveals a frankly unexpected result. Completely
unexpected. Their countenances appeared fair
and fatter in flesh than all the children which
did eat the portion of the king's meat. They
looked better. Yeah, healthier, more robust.
Which, you know, led Melzar, the attendant, to
just keep giving them the simple diet. It worked.
But it wasn't just physical, was it? No, not
at all. And this is crucial. Beyond the physical,
the text highlights that God granted these four
young men knowledge and skill in all learning
and wisdom. And specifically, Daniel received
a unique understanding in all visions and dreams.
This divine enablement, it isn't just a footnote.
It's critical. It subtly suggests Daniel's commitment
wasn't just about rule following. Ah, it's deeper.
It seems to be a pathway to a deeper, divinely
given wisdom that actually made them intellectually
superior. And that's a pattern we'll see again
and again in this book. So by the end of their
three years of training, when they finally stood
before Nebuchadnezzar, they were found and get
this. Ten times better than all the magicians
and astrologers that were in all his realm. Ten
times in matters of wisdom and understanding.
That's incredible. And Daniel's influence, the
source notes, it extended a long time even onto
the frontier of King Cyrus. Quite a career. A
very long and influential one, yeah. So Building
on Daniel's, you know, newfound prominence, we
hit another big challenge for the Babylonian
court. King Nebuchadnezzar's spirit is deeply
troubled by a dream. Yeah, so troubled he can't
sleep. Right. So he summons all his wise men,
magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and the Chaldeans.
Who are like a specific class of learned astrologers
and diviners in Babylon. The experts go to guys
and he demands not only the interpretation of
the dream But he wants them to tell him what
the dream itself was because he'd forgotten it
It had gone from him as the text says which is
I mean that's an impossible demand surely absolutely
impossible for any human and the Chalbians themselves
rightly pointed this out They basically said
look there is not a man upon the earth that can
show the king's matter Except the gods but the
king wasn't having it No, not at all. He accused
them of stalling, trying to buy time. And he
threatened them with, well, severe penalties.
We're talking dismemberment. Their homes reduced
to rubble. A dung hill. Ouch. But if they succeeded.
Ah, then gifts and rewards in great honor. High
stakes. So in his fury, the king commanded the
destruction of all the wise men of Babylon. A
sweeping decree. Which of course included Daniel
and his companions. They were lumped in with
the rest. So now it's a life or death crisis
for them too. How does Daniel handle this? Well,
he approaches Ariach, the captain of the king's
guard, with remarkable counsel and wisdom. Calmly.
He doesn't panic. Doesn't seem to. He calmly
asks why the decree is so hasty, you know, by
the rush. And then, with incredible poise, he
requests time from the king. He says, give me
time and I'll show the interpretation. Gutsy
move. Very. And he gets the time. He does. Upon
receiving that crucial time. Daniel goes straight
home, tells his friends, Hananiah, Michelle,
and Azariah. The same guys from the diet test.
The very same. And they collectively pray. They
appeal to God for mercy for help with this secret.
And just as our source describes, the secret
was revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Wow,
just like that. Just like that. So Daniel, filled
with praise and gratitude, goes to the king.
But for almost he makes a crucial point. Which
is? He declares that no human wise men None of
the magicians or astrologers can reveal such
mysteries. Instead, there is a God in heaven
that reveals its secrets. He gives the credit
to God. Entirely. He clarifies, this isn't because
I'm smarter than anyone else, but it's so you,
O King, might understand your own thoughts. Understand
this dream that's troubling you. Okay, so spill
the beans. What did the King dream? Right, the
dream itself. He saw a great image. A huge colossal
statue. Made of different materials. Exactly.
A head of fine gold, breast and arms of silver,
belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron. Okay.
And feet, partly iron and partly clay. A mixture.
Iron and clay, that doesn't sound very stable.
Precisely. And the dream concluded with a stone
described as cut out without hands, meaning not
by human effort. This stone strikes the image
on its feet, those unstable iron and clay feet,
and the whole thing shatters, crumbles into tiny
pieces like chaff, which the wind just carries
away, vanished. And the stone, the stone itself
then grew into a great mountain and filled the
whole earth. Wow, that's quite a visual. So the
interpretation. Daniel's interpretation is just
as powerful and specific. The head of gold, he
says, represents Nebuchadnezzar himself, and
his glorious Babylonian kingdom granted power
by God. After him, another kingdom inferior,
symbolized by the silver, usually interpreted
as the Medo -Persian Empire, then a third kingdom
of brass destined to rule over all the earth,
generally seen as Greece under Alexander the
Great. Then the fourth kingdom, strong as iron,
breaking and subduing everything, often understood
as the Roman Empire. and the feet, the iron and
clay mix? That signifies a divided kingdom, partly
strong like iron, partly fragile or brittle like
clay. It suggests internal division, maybe attempts
to mingle with the seed of men, perhaps through
alliances or marriages, but ultimately they won't
cleave together, they won't hold. A fractured
ending for these earthly kingdoms, but what about
the stone that seems key? It is absolutely the
pivotal element. Our source explains that in
the days of those later kings, represented by
the feet and toes. The God of heaven shall set
up a kingdom which will never be destroyed. Never
destroyed. Never. This kingdom would consume
all those other kingdoms and it would endure
forever. So this interpretation isn't just identifying
future empire. No, it's making a bigger point.
Exactly. It offers this profound insight into
the transient nature of all human power. It asserts
that even the mightiest earthly kingdoms, they're
ultimately finite. There's subservient to an
eternal overarching divine plan. So how does
Nebuchadnezzar take this news? His reaction is
profound and immediate. He falls on his face,
worships Daniel, which is a bit much, but shows
his awe. Understandable, maybe. Perhaps. And
he declares of the truth it is that your God
is God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer
of secrets. He gets it. Any rewards, Daniel?
Big time. He promotes Daniel, makes him ruler
over the province of Babylon and chief over all
the wise men. Wow. And Daniel, showing his loyalty,
requested his companions, Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego be placed over the affairs of the
province alongside him. Spreading the responsibility.
Okay, so Daniel's integrity saved them all there.
But Nebuchadnezzar's understanding of God, it
seems like it's about to be tested again, right?
Oh, absolutely. A much bigger test is coming.
Our source recounts him commissioning this colossal
golden image. The statue in Dura. That's the
one. 60 cubits high, six cubits wide. That's
roughly 90 feet tall and nine feet wide. Huge.
It's massive and he sets it up in the plane of
Dura. And then issues a decree. At the sound
of all kinds of musical instruments, horns, flutes,
harps, the whole orchestra, everyone, everyone
was to fall down and worship the golden image.
and if they didn't. The penalty was swift and
brutal, immediate casting into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace. Are all messing around.
Not at all. And the text says the decree was
obeyed by all the people, the nations, and the
languages. Except. Except Daniel's friends. Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego. Exactly. Certain Cheldians
may be jealous of their promotion after the dream
incident. Uh, office politics even then. seems
like it. They specifically accused Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, the very men Nebuchadnezzar
had promoted, of ignoring the king's command,
not serving his guides, not worshiping the image.
So Nebuchadnezzar finds out how does he react?
Predictably, with rage, he confronts them directly,
gives them one last chance, basically says, okay,
maybe you didn't hear the music clearly, when
it plays again, bow down. And he adds that challenge.
He does, dramatically challenging them. Who is
that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
A direct challenge to their faith. So what do
they say? This is the moment of truth. It really
is. And what's truly remarkable here is their
calm... unwavering response. They tell the king
essentially, we don't even need to think about
how to answer you on this. Wow, bold. Incredibly
bold. They declare, our God whom we serve is
able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace,
and He will deliver us out of thine hand -o -king.
They state their faith in God's power. But then
they add something crucial, don't they? Yes.
But if not, even if God doesn't save us physically.
So their obedience isn't conditional on being
rescued. Exactly. Their conviction stands regardless
of the outcome. It's this powerful demonstration
of faith in the face of absolute power, a refusal
to compromise their core beliefs, even with death
literally staring them down. How does the king
take that? He is now full of fury. His face changes.
He commands the furnace to be heated. won seven
times more than it was wanted to be heated. Seven
times hotter? I mean, how much hotter can you
make a furnace? It's clearly hyperbole to emphasize
just how incredibly hot, unimaginably hot he
wanted it. And the most mighty men in his army,
buying the three men and just tossed them in.
And the heat. It's lethal, even for the executioners.
That's what the text says. The flames were so
intense, they slew those men that took up Shadrach,
Nishak, and Venio. Just getting close was deadly.
But then Nebuchadnezzar looks in. Yes. And he's
utterly astounded. completely astounded, shocked.
He asks his counselors, almost confused, did
not we cast three men bound into the midst of
the fire? And they confirm, yes, king. And then
he declares, Low, I see four men loose, walking
in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt.
And the form of the fourth is like the Son of
God. Or, like a son of the gods, depending on
translation, a divine being. Four men, loose,
unharmed. Exactly. He calls them out, Shadrach,
Neshach, Abednego come out, and they emerge completely
unharmed. And the text really emphasizes this
miracle. It does. Incredible. What's the impact
on Nebuchadnezzar this time? and another decree
follows. Yes, a new decree throughout his kingdom.
Now, instead of demanding worship of his statue,
he states that any people, nation, or language
speaking anything amiss against the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces.
Because, he says, there is no other God that
can deliver after this sort. He recognizes the
unique power of their God. And of course, this
leads to the further promotion of the three men.
It seems Nebuchadnezzar is learning, but maybe
slowly, he keeps getting these incredible proofs.
He does, and the next section shows perhaps the
deepest lesson he had to learn. Our source describes
Nebuchadnezzar himself, addressing all people,
nations, and languages. Testifying personally.
Testifying about what? About the signs and wonders
that the High God hath wrought toward me. He
recounts another dream that troubled him, one
his wise men again couldn't interpret, leading
back to Daniel. Another dream? What was this
one about? This dream featured a massive towering
tree, reaching to heaven, visible to the end
of all the earth, providing food and shelter
for everything, all living creatures. A symbol
of his own great power and reach. Okay, so far
so good for him. Well, then a watcher and a holy
one. A divine messenger comes down from heaven.
Oh. Yeah. And commands the tree to be cut down.
Branches scattered, fruit removed, total destruction
almost. Almost. Because the stump of his roots
was to be left in the earth but bound with iron
and brass left out in the field wet with dew.
So preserved but restrained. Exactly. And crucially
the decree says the tree's heart be changed from
man's and a beast's heart be given unto him and
let seven times pass over him. A beast's heart.
For seven times, what does that mean? It signifies
a period of madness, of living like an animal,
and the stated purpose of this humbling experience.
That the living may know that the most high rule
is in the kingdom of men and give it to whomever
he will and set it up over it the basest of men.
A lesson in sovereignty. So Daniel has to interpret
this for the king. How does he react? Daniel
is visibly troubled, the text says. He's disturbed
for the king's sake, but he interprets it directly.
The tree is Nebuchadnezzar. Yes. The mighty tree
is Nebuchadnezzar himself, whose greatness has
reached to heaven. The decree means he will be
driven from men, he'll dwell with wild animals,
eat grass as oxen until seven times, probably
seven years pass over him. A severe humbling.
Extremely severe, until he finally acknowledges
that the most high ruleeth in the kingdom of
men. But there's hope. The stump being left signifies
his kingdom would be sure unto thee. restored
to him after he learns that lesson. After that,
thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
Does Daniel offer any advice? He does. He gives
heartfelt counsel. Break off thy sins by righteousness
and line iniquities by showing mercy to the poor.
Basically repent, change your ways, maybe you
can avert this. Does the king listen? Well, here's
a truly chilling detail from our source. Exactly
at the end of 12 months, so a full year later.
He had time to change. He did. But as Nebuchadnezzar
walked in his palace, boasting, And while the
words were still in his mouth, a voice from heaven
declared his kingdom had departed from him. Just
like that instant judgment. The same hour was
the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar. He was
driven from men, ate grass like oxen, body wet
with dew, hair grew like eagles, feathers, nails
like birds claws. It's a stark disturbing image
of complete dethronement, dehumanization. Wow.
But that's not the end of his story, is it? No,
crucially it's not. The narrative highlights
the outcome. At the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar,
lifted up my eyes unto heaven, and my understanding
returned unto me. His sanity returns. Yes. And
his first act. He blessed and honored God, declaring
his everlasting dominion and his absolute rule
over heaven and earth. His reason and honor were
restored. He was reestablished in his kingdom,
more glorious than before praising God, who was
able to abase those who walk in pride. So we
finally learned the lesson. It seems so. A fundamental
principle. True power, true understanding comes
from recognizing something, someone greater than
oneself. A powerful arc for Nebuchadnezzar. But
the story shifts then, doesn't it, to a different
king? It does. Our source has transitioned to
Belchazar. He's referred to as Nebuchadnezzar's
son or father, depending on the translation,
but really means successor or royal descendant
in the context of the kingdom. Okay, so Belchazar
is in charge now. What does he do? He holds a
great feast, a huge party, and in an act of,
well, profound disrespect, maybe arrogance. What
does he do? He commands the golden and silver
vessels, the ones taken from the temple in Jerusalem
by Nebuchadnezzar to be brought out. The sacred
vessels? Yes. And he, his princes, his wives,
his concubines, they all drink wine from them.
And then, adding insult to injury, they praise
the gods of gold and a silver of brass, of iron,
of wood and of stone, using holy items to toast
pagan gods. That sounds like crossing a line.
A big one. And the reaction is immediate and
dramatic in the same hour it came forth fingers
of a man's hand and wrote over against the candle
stick up on the plaster of the wall of the king's
palace fingers writing on the wall literally
literally disembodied fingers writing on the
wall The king sees it his face changes knees
knocked together. He's terrified. I bet so he
calls his wise men immediately Offers great rewards
scarlet clothing gold chain third ruler in the
kingdom if they can just read and interpret the
writing hmm But they can't utterly baffled go
panic in the palace total panic until the queen
steps in Maybe the queen mother and she remembers
someone exactly she reminds Belchazar about Daniel
Who in Nebuchadnezzar's time had shown an excellent
spirit and knowledge and understanding interpreting
of dreams and dissolving of doubts? She says
essentially call Daniel he could figure this
out so Daniels brought in again does Belchazar
offer him the rewards he does same deal Scarlet,
Gold Chain, Third Ruler. But Daniel's reply sets
this powerful contrast with the other guys. What
does he say? He says, He's not in for the prizes.
Just the truth. Just the truth. But before he
interprets, he delivers this powerful, unvarnished
rebuke. Can he choose out the king? Pretty much.
He reminds Belshazzar pointedly about his predecessor
Nebuchadnezzar, how God gave him the kingdom,
how he became proud, how he was humbled like
a beast, and how his understanding returned only
when he acknowledged God. Laying the groundwork.
Exactly. And then he says, And thou his son,
O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though
thou newest all this. You knew the story, but
hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven,
desecrating his temple vessels. Oof. Then comes
the writing. Then comes the interpretation of
the words. Min, min, tekel, ufarsan, or pairs.
Okay, what do they mean? Min, min, min. Daniel
says, God have numbered thy kingdom and finished
it. Basically, your time is up, numbered and
done. Thou art weighed in the balances, and art
found wanting. You've been judged, and you don't
measure up. Found efficient. Pierce, the singular
form of a parson. The kingdom is divided and
given to the Medes and Persians your empire is
being carved up and handed over numbered Wade
divided Stark very stark and an incredibly direct
and the fulfillment Does it happen quickly? Chillingly
fast our source states in that night was Belchazar
the king of the Chaldeans slain and Darius the
median took the kingdom that very night at very
night the immediate fulfillment is incredibly
striking it powerfully underscores the swift
consequences of that kind of hubris and blatant
disrespect towards divine power. So Babylon falls
and now Darius the Mede is ruling. What happens
to Daniel? Well, with Darius the Mead now in
charge, Daniel's exceptional ability, his excellent
spirit shines through yet again. Darius sets
up a new administration, 120 princes over the
kingdom, and over them, three presidents or high
officials, and Daniel is appointed as the first,
the chief among them. Top job again? Yes. He
was preferred above the presidents and princes
because an excellent spirit was in him, so much
so that the king was actually considering setting
him over the whole realm. Making him like a prime
minister. That must have ruffled some feathers.
Oh, absolutely. Predictably, it caused immense
resentment among the other presidents and princes.
They sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning
the kingdom, looking for corruption, mismanagement.
But they couldn't find anything. Nothing. They
could find none occasion nor fault. For as much
as he was faithful, his record was spotless.
So they changed tactics. They do. Their conclusion
was telling... We shall not find any occasion
against this Daniel except we find it against
him concerning the law of his God. Attack his
faith because his work is impeccable. Precisely.
It highlights the depth of Daniel's integrity.
His only perceived vulnerability was his unwavering
faithfulness to his God. So what's their plan?
These presidents and princes conspire. They go
to King Darius with this this deceptive plan
flattering him. They propose a royal statute.
and irrevocable decree. For 30 days, no one in
the entire kingdom should ask a petition of any
god or man, save of thee, O king, only pray to
Darius. Wow, appealing to his ego. Big time.
End the penalty for breaking this temporary law,
being cast into the den of lions. The lion's
den. Yes. And they urge the king to sign it,
making it official, invoking the law of the Medes
and Persians, which Altarith not. Once signed,
it can't be changed, not even by the king himself.
And Darius signs it. He does, perhaps flattered,
perhaps not realizing the trap. He signed the
decree. So how does Daniel respond when he finds
out about this law targeting his prayer life?
Well, what's truly illuminating is his response
when he knew that the writing was signed. He
doesn't panic. He doesn't hide. He doesn't compromise.
What does he do? He just went into his house.
and his windows being open in his chamber toward
Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times
a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God
as he did a four -time. Windows open, facing
Jerusalem, same as always. Exactly the same.
He just continued his regular practice. This
wasn't, you know, an act of defiance for show,
but simply a continuation of his consistent,
deeply rooted faith. He wasn't going to change
his relationship with God because of a human
law. So of course the conspirators see him. Immediately.
They were watching. They find him praying and
report it straight to the king. Daniel, whom
you promoted, is ignoring your decree. How does
Darius react now? He liked Daniel. He's devastated.
The text says he was sore displeased with himself.
He realized he'd been tricked, manipulated into
endangering his valued official. And he labored
till the going down of the sun to deliver him,
trying to find a loophole. But the law was unchangeable.
That's what the officials insisted. They reminded
him, No, O King, that the law of the Medes and
Persians is that no decree nor statute which
the king establishedeth may be changed. His hands
were tied. So Daniel has to face the lions. He
does. He's cast into the den of lions. But King
Darius' last words to Daniel before the stone
was placed over the den opening were actually
a statement of hope, maybe faith. What did he
say? He said, Interesting. Even the pagan king
had some sense of Daniel's god. It seems so.
The king then spent a miserable night, fasting,
refusing entertainment, unable to sleep, clearly
tormented by what he'd been forced to do. Yeah.
And the next morning. At the first light of dawn,
Darius rushed to the lion's den, and he cried
out anxiously, Oh Daniel, servant of the living
god, is thy god whom thou service continually
able to deliver thee from the lions. You can
almost hear the desperation in his voice. And
Daniel answers, From the den. He does, and Daniel's
reply is calm, profound, O King, live forever.
My God have sent his angel and have shut the
lion's mouth that they have not hurt me. An angel
shut the lion's mouth. That's what Daniel says.
He continues, So they get him out. Immediately.
He was taken up and no manner of hurt was found
upon him because he believed in his God. Another
powerful testament to his unwavering faith. But
what about the guys who set him up? Ah, here's
a chilling, swift turn of justice. The king commanded
that those men who had maliciously accused Daniel
along with, and this is harsh, their children
and their wives, be cast into the den. The whole
families. The whole families, and our source
states grimly, the lions had the mastery of them
and break all their bones and pieces or ever
they came at the bottom of the den before they
even hit the ground. Wow. Swift and brutal justice.
Indeed. And Darius, he issues another powerful
decree. What does this one say? He writes to
all peoples, nations, and languages in His vast
kingdom, declaring that they should tremble and
fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the
living God and steadfast forever. He's really
proclaiming Daniel's God now. Absolutely. He
delivereth and rescueeth, and He worketh signs
and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath
delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
This narrative powerfully reinforces those themes
of divine protection, the power of faith, and
the ultimate vindication of integrity against
conspiracy. Okay, so we've seen Daniel navigate
these incredible political and personal challenges,
influencing kings, surviving deadly plots. But
the book shifts gear then, right? It does, quite
dramatically. Having explored Daniel's remarkable
influence on the kings and empires of his day,
our source material now shifts focus to Daniel's
own personal encounters with the future. His
own visions. Exactly. A series of profound dreams
and visions that look centuries beyond his own
lifetime. These were given during the reigns
of Belchazar and later, Cyrus. So what kind of
things did he see? Well, in Belchazar's first
year, Daniel saw a vision of four great beasts
came up from the sea, diverse one from another,
highly symbolic. Four beasts, like the statue
dream, representing kingdoms. Very much like
that. They're generally interpreted as representing
successive world empires, each with distinct
characteristics. Like a lion and had eagle's
wings. Often seed is Babylon powerful. Swift
like to a bear raised up on one side with three
ribs in the mouth usually taken as the middle
Persian Empire perhaps indicating its dual nature
or conquests third like a leopard, but with four
wings of a fowl and four heads. This is widely
understood to symbolize the incredibly swift
rise of the Greek Empire under Alexander the
Great and its subsequent division into four kingdoms
after his death. Fast and divided, makes sense.
And the fourth. Ah, the fourth beast. It's described
differently, dreadful and terrible and strong
exceedingly. It has great iron teeth. It devours,
breaks things, stamps on the remains. Really
destructive. Sounds ominous. It is. This beast
also had ten horns. And then coming up among
them, another little horn emerged, which uprooted
three of the original ten horns. This little
horn had eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth
speaking great things, boastful, arrogant things.
So a powerful, destructive kingdom, internal
divisions, and then a particularly arrogant leader
or power emerges. That's the common interpretation.
The fourth kingdom often linked to Rome and its
later divisions with the little horn representing
a significant, often persecuting, anti -God ruler
or power arising from it. And where does this
vision lead? It culminates in this amazing scene
of divine judgment. Daniel sees thrones being
cast down or set in place, and the ancient of
days did sit. The ancient of days, that's God.
A powerful image of God, eternal sovereign judge,
his clothing whitest snow, hair like pure wool,
his throne like fiery flame, a scene of ultimate
authority. And what happens to the beast? The
fourth beast, the dreadful one, is judged and
destroyed. slain, its body given to the burning
flame, but the dominion of the other beasts was
taken away, though their lives were prolonged
for a time. Okay, judgment on the oppressive
power. Then what? Then Daniel sees something
incredible. One, like the Son of Man came with
the clouds of heaven. This figure approaches
the ancient of days. The Son of Man. Yes. And
to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom
that all people, nations, and languages should
serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion
which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that
which shall not be destroyed. So after the judgment
of the earthly kingdoms, an eternal universal
kingdom is established under this Son of Man.
Exactly. Daniel, understandably troubled by all
this, asks for the interpretation. He's told,
yes, the four great beasts are four kings, or
kingdoms, which shall rise out of the earth.
But they won't last. No. Ultimately, the saints
of the Most High will take the kingdom and possess
the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. And
the fourth beast gets special attention. It does.
The interpretation confirms it's a fourth kingdom
upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms
and shall devour the whole earth. The ten horns
are ten kings that arise from it. And the little
horn. That's another king arising after the ten
who is different. He'll subdue three kings, speak
great words against the Most High, will wear
out the saints, try to change times and laws
based basically a figure of intense opposition
to God and his people. But his dominion won't
last either. No. The judgment will sit and his
dominion will be taken away, consumed and destroyed.
And then the kingdom and dominion and the greatness
of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be
given to the people of the saints of the Most
High, whose kingdom is everlasting. It's this
grand sweep of history. Human empires rise and
fall, often oppressively, but are ultimately
replaced by God's eternal kingdom. That's a huge
vision. Does he have others like this? Yes. In
Belshazzar's third year, he has another one by
the river Ulay. This time it's animals again,
but different ones. Okay, what does he see now?
He sees a ram which had two horns. One horn was
higher than the other and the higher one came
up last. This ram was pushing powerfully westward,
northward, southward. No beast could stand before
it. Powerful ram, two horns, meads and persians
again. That's exactly how Gabriel interprets
it later. The ram with two horns represents the
kings of media and Persia, with Persia becoming
dominant. Okay, so the ram is dominant, then
what? Then, charging from the west comes an he
-goat moving so fast its feet touch not the ground,
supernaturally swift. A goat from the west, Greece,
Alexander. Precisely. And this goat had a notable
horn between his eyes, a very conspicuous large
horn. This goat attacks the ram furiously, breaks
its two horns, tramples it, Total victory. Alexander
conquering Persia. Fits perfectly. The Higo becomes
very great. But then, at the height of its power,
its great horn was broken. Alexander's early
death. Yes. And in its place, four notable ones,
four horns came up pointing towards the four
winds of heaven. The four general who divided
his empire, Ptolemy Seleucus. That's the standard
historical interpretation, matching the four
main Hellenistic kingdoms that emerged. Okay,
this is mapping on to history incredibly well.
What next? Well, here's where it gets particularly
significant and maybe more controversial in interpretation.
From one of those four horns came forth a little
horn. A little horn, like in the beast vision.
Yes, but this one seems distinct, though sharing
some characteristics. This little horn waxed
exceedingly great, grew incredibly powerful specifically
towards the south, the east and towards the pleasant
land, usually understood as Israel. So a power
arising from the Greek divisions expanding towards
Judea. Exactly, and it gets worse. It even grew
great against the host of heaven, cast down some
of the host and stars, symbolic language perhaps
for powers or people, and trampled them. It magnified
itself even against the prince of the host, God
or perhaps the high priest, like taking away
the daily sacrifice from him and casting down
the place of his sanctuary, the temple. and it
prospered in this wickedness. This sounds very
specific, taking away the daily sacrifice. Extremely
specific, and Daniel hears a question ask, how
long will this vision concerning the daily sacrifice,
the transgression that makes desolate, and the
trampling of the sanctuary and host last? And
the answer? The answer given is, unto 2 ,300
days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. A
specific time period for this desecration followed
by restoration. So who is this little horn? Gabriel
interprets this one, too. Yes. Gabriel comes
to make Daniel understand the vision, stressing
it refers to the time of the end, or a latter
time period relative to Daniel, he confirms.
Ram, Edia, and Persia. Rough goat. King of Grisha.
Grease. Great horn. the first king, Alexander,
four horns, four kingdoms that arise from his
nation, but not with his power. And the little
horn from one of them. Gabriel says that in the
latter time of their kingdom, when transgressors
have reached their fullness, a king of fierce
countenance, understanding dark sentences, or
skilled in intrigue, will arise. Okay, tell me
about this king. He will be mighty, but significantly
not by his own power. He will destroy wonderfully.
cause astonishing destruction, prosper, practice
deceit, destroy the mighty and the holy people.
By peace, or through prosperity and false security,
he shall destroy many. Deceptive and destructive.
Very. And he will even stand up against the prince
of princes directly opposed God. But ultimately,
he shall be broken without hand. Destroyed supernaturally,
not by human means. Who do historians usually
see this as? Overwhelmingly, this figure is identified
with Antiochus V Epiphanes, a Seleucid king who
ruled from 175 to 164 BC. He fits the description
remarkably well. He called himself Epiphanes,
meaning God Manifest, was known for intrigue,
brutally persecuted the Jews, outlawed their
religious practices, stopped the daily sacrifices
in the temple in Jerusalem, and set up an idol
there, the Abomination of Desolation, mentioned
elsewhere. and the cleansing. That timing is
debated, but it broadly aligns with the period
of Antiochus' persecution and the eventual Maccabean
revolt which cleansed and rededicated the temple,
an event still celebrated today as Hanukkah.
The historical fulfillment is quite striking.
Wow, okay, so these visions are giving Daniel
this detailed look into future empires and conflicts,
especially affecting his people. What else does
he receive? Well, our source then moves to a
different kind of revelation. It's the first
year of Darius the Mead. Daniel is studying the
scriptures, specifically the prophet Jeremiah.
What does he learn from Jeremiah? He understands
from Jeremiah's writings that the desolations
of Jerusalem, the period of exile, were determined
to be 70 years. The 70 -year exile prophecy.
Exactly. And realizing this time might be nearing
its end, Daniel responds not with presumption,
but with intense prayer and fasting. He makes
this deep, heartfelt confession of sin, not just
his own, but on behalf of all his people, acknowledging
their rebellion against God, which led to the
exile. He pleads for God's mercy, for God's to
turn his face back towards the desolate sanctuary
in Jerusalem for the Lord's sake. So, a prayer
of repentance and intercession. A profound one.
And while he is still praying, the angel Gabriel,
whom he'd seen in the earlier vision, appears
to him again, arriving swiftly. What does Gabriel
say this time? Gabriel tells Daniel he has come
to give him skill and understanding, because
at the beginning of Daniel's prayers, a commandment
went forth, and Gabriel came to show him because
Daniel is greatly beloved. Greatly beloved? That's
quite an affirmation. It is. And then Gabriel
delivers another incredibly significant and much
debated prophecy, the 70 weeks prophecy. 70 weeks.
What's it's about? Gabriel says, 70 weeks are
determined upon thy people and upon thy holy
city Jerusalem for several specific purposes.
Like what? To finish the transgression and to
make an end of sins and to make reconciliation
for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness
and to seal up the vision and prophecy and to
anoint the most holy. Basically, a period decree
to deal fully with sin and bring about God's
ultimate redemptive purposes. 70 weeks. That
sounds short 490 days. Well, it's almost universally
understood not as literal of days, but as weeks
of years. So 70 sets of seven years equaling
490 years. Ah, okay. A much longer time frame.
How is this 490 year period broken down? Gabriel
gives a specific structure. No, therefore, and
understand that from the going forth of the commandment
to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah,
the Prince shall be seven weeks and three score
and two weeks. Okay, so seven weeks plus 62 weeks,
that's 69 weeks of years, or 483 years. From
a command to rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah
the Prince. Exactly. The starting point is usually
linked to a decree by Persian kings like Arteserpsis
allowing the rebuilding. Then, after that 69
week, 183 year period Gabriel says shall Messiah
be cut off, but not for himself Messiah will
be cut off killed. That's the common interpretation
suggesting a violent death and not for himself
implies a vicarious substitutionary aspect. And
following this, the prophecy states that the
people of the prince that shall come shall destroy
the city and the sanctuary. Destroy Jerusalem
in the temple after the Messiah is cut off. Yes,
often linked historically to the destruction
of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD led by Titus,
the son, prince of the emperor of Asasian. The
prophecy continues speaking of war, desolations,
and a figure who shall confirm the covenant with
many for one week. The final week, the 70th week.
Yes, that last seven year period. This figure
confirms a covenant for that week, but in the
midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice
and the oblation to cease. He stops the temple
worship. And because of the overspreading of
abominations, he shall make it desolate until
a determined end is poured out on the desolator.
So a final seven year period involving a broken
covenant and desecration. This sounds complex
and heavily debated. Extremely complex and subject
to numerous interpretations regarding the timing,
the identity of the figures, and whether that
final week is historical or still future. But
it provides this remarkable, detailed, prophetic
timeline centered around the Messiah and the
fate of Jerusalem. Okay, one more major vision,
right? In the time of Cyrus. Yes, finally, we
come to Daniel's last incredibly detailed vision,
recorded in the third year of Cyrus, King of
Persia. It follows a period where Daniel had
been mourning and fasting for three full weeks.
Why was he mourning? The text doesn't explicitly
state why, but perhaps it was due to difficulties
faced by the returning exiles and rebuilding
the temple, or maybe the weight of the future
conflicts revealed to him. While by the river
Hitticale, the Tigris, he has an encounter. with
Gabriel again. Not named as Gabriel this time,
but a glorious heavenly being. He sees a certain
man clothed in linen whose loins were girded
with fine gold of uphaz. His body like barrel,
face like lightning, eyes like lamps of fire,
arms and feet like polished brass, and his voice
like the voice of a multitude. An awe -inspiring
figure. Absolutely. Daniel is terrified, falls
on his face. The being touches him, strengthens
him, and again tells Daniel he is greatly beloved.
What is this being revealed? First, he reveals
something fascinating about the spiritual battle
behind earthly events. He says he was coming
to Daniel, but the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia
withstood me one in 20 days. The Prince of Persia,
a spiritual entity opposing God's messenger.
That's the interpretation, a demonic power associated
with the Persian Empire hindering the angel.
But then, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes,
the archangel, came to help me. This gives a
glimpse into unseen spiritual warfare influencing
human history. Wow, so what message did this
being finally bring? He came to make Daniel understand
what will happen to his people in the latter
days. And then he unfolds this remarkably detailed
prophecy of future conflicts, primarily between
two recurring figures, the King of the South
and the King of the North. King of the South,
King of the North, Egypt and Syria, Ptolemies
and Seleucids again. That's the predominant historical
understanding. The vision provides an incredibly
granular account of the back -and -forth wars,
alliances, betrayals, and political maneuvering
between these two Hellenistic kingdoms that constantly
fought over the territory of Judea, caught in
the middle. How detailed does it get? Amazingly
detailed, it mentions. Three more Persian kings
will arise, then a fourth, very rich one who
will stir up everyone against Greece, likely
Xerxes. Then a mighty Greek king, Alexander,
whose kingdom will be broken and divided into
four, but not to his descendants. Then it outlines
specific conflicts. The king of the south becoming
strong, alliances through marriage, a king's
daughter given to the king of the north which
fails, betrayals, captures of fortresses, invasions
back and forth, shifting power dynamics. It reads
almost like a historical chronicle written in
advance. Including specific tactics and outcomes.
Yes, things like naval powers, strategic retreats,
honoring gods with plunder. It also mentions
the rise of a vile person who obtains the kingdom
by flatteries and works deceitfully again, strongly
pointing to Antiochus epiphanies. Does it describe
his actions again? It does, referring to him
polluting the sanctuary, taking away the daily
sacrifice, placing the abomination that maketh
desolate. It also mentions those who forsake
the covenant being corrupted by flatteries, but
the people who do know their God shall be strong
and do exploits, hinting at the Mechabean resistance.
It also talks about a king who exalts himself
above all gods. Yes. Later in the prophecy, it
describes a powerful king, often still linked
to Antiochus, or perhaps a future figure embodying
similar traits, who shall exalt himself and magnify
himself above every god, speaking marvelous things
against the god of gods. He won't regard the
gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women,
perhaps a deity like Tamuz or maybe family ties,
nor any god, but will magnify himself above all.
honoring a different God. He will honor the God
of forces, or fortresses, a God his fathers didn't
know, honoring him with gold, silver, precious
stones, basically a God of military power. And
this leads to a final conflict. Yes. The prophecy
describes a final clash at the time of the end
where the king of the south will push at him
and the king of the north will come against him
like a whirlwind with chariots, horsemen, and
many ships. This king of the north will overflow,
pass through countries, including entering the
glorious land, Israel. Many countries will be
overthrown. And his end. He'll eventually plant
his royal tents between the seas and the glorious
holy mountain, Jerusalem Mount Zion. Yet he shall
come to his end and none shall help him. his
destruction is certain. This whole section is
just incredibly granular. It really feels like
a pre -written script for history. It's why it's
called the scripture of truth. The level of specific
detail in predicting these intricate geopolitical
maneuvers, alliances, and betrayals centuries
in advance is unparalleled, making it a profound
testament to foresight, however one interprets
the mechanisms behind it. Wow. What an incredible,
incredible deep dive into the book of Daniel.
We've really journeyed through so much, personal
resolve, you know, facing immense pressure. Miraculous
deliverance, time and again. Yeah, the humbling
of these incredibly proud rulers and then these
intricate mind -bending prophecy spanning centuries.
And if we try to connect this to the, you know,
the bigger picture, the book of Daniel powerfully
highlights these enduring themes. unwavering
conviction, integrity, even when it costs you
everything. The consequences of pride, that's
a huge one. Huge. And the idea of these often
unseen forces, both divine and maybe spiritual
opposition, at play in the rise and fall of human
empires, it's just this compelling exploration
of how wisdom, integrity, and faith are portrayed
as fundamentally shaping destiny, both personal
and national. So, okay, bottom line. What does
this all mean for you listening right now? Beyond
the you know fascinating history and the prophetic
insights what really stands out as the resilience,
isn't it? Absolutely the resilience of Daniel
and his friends Shadrach Meshach a bednego facing
these impossible demands these life -or -death
situations It really makes you think doesn't
it when you're confronted with? Significant pressures,
maybe not a fiery furnace, but pressures nonetheless
to compromise your core beliefs your values What
inner resources or maybe external support do
you draw upon to remain steadfast? That's a great
question and the narrative really emphasizes
that knowledge and understanding the kind Daniel
had aren't just about acquiring facts You know
knowing stuff. It's more than that. It's about
discerning deeper truths understanding their
implications and figuring out how to navigate
a world where power shifts Challenges are constant
and standing for what's right isn't always easy
or popular hmm Some profound things to think
about there. Thank you so much for joining us
on this deep dive. It's been fascinating. We
really hope this exploration has given you a
fresh perspective, maybe a shortcut to being
really well informed and perhaps sparked some
significant aha moments about one of history's
most compelling figures and truly remarkable
texts.