Dan. 8:3-14, Vision of a ram and a goat

Dan. 8:3-14, Vision of a ram and a goat

3-14, 3 I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later.
4 I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and became great.
5 As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground.
6 It came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at it in great rage.
7 I saw it attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it, and none could rescue the ram from its power.
8 The goat became very great, but at the height of its power the large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.
9 Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land.
10 It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them.
11 It set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord; it took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord, and his sanctuary was thrown down.
12 Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the Lord’s people?”
14 He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.”

<Sermon Summary>

Daniel had a vision two years ago and sees another vision (1, After the vision that first appeared to me, Daniel, another vision appeared in the third year of King Belshazzar). We live by eating food every day. If you eat well today, you should eat again tomorrow. The same is true of spiritual food and grace. Let's live with new grace every day. The world hasn't changed in two years. We hardly ever change. But do not lose heart or give up, and let us do the work of the Lord. When God's time comes, you will reap (Gal. 6:9, Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap if we do not give up).
Daniel sees a vision of a ram and a goat. The two-horned ram, the Medo-Persian Empire (20, the two-horned rams you saw are the kings of the Medes and Persia) does whatever he wants and becomes stronger (3, 4). A big horned he-goat from the west, the Greek Empire (21, the shaggy he-goat is the kings of Greece, and the great horn between his eyes is the first king) destroys the ram (Persia) (5-7) He looks ahead 200 years from then. Alexander the Great, the great horn of the he-goat, which gradually grew stronger, died, and four horns were born in its place (8). It is divided into four kingdoms by his four generals. Antiochus IV, a small horn from one horn, grows large and drops the heavenly army and some of the stars to the ground (9-11). Daniel foresees what will happen 300 years later, a form of Satan's servant, the Antichrist. He exalts himself and removes sacrifices to God, destroys the sanctuary and throws his truth to the ground (12:13). Shameless and deceitful, he destroys the world (25, when he deceives, he works deceit with his own hands, and makes himself great in his heart; he destroys multitudes in peacetime; he will stand up against the King of kings, will be broken not by the hand of They will persecute the holy people, the church of God, and oppose God. The people serve the horn and sin. Daniel is told that this will continue for 2,300 days and that the sanctuary will be cleansed (14). In the end, even the little horn king will be destroyed by God (25). God protects the church and worship. We must go forward relying on God in any situation (25). Even if we cannot overcome the world on our own, God makes us overcome and rules the world.

How should we live?

1. Like Daniel, let us see, hear, and realize the vision with humility.

  In today's text, Daniel continues to see and see and see God's revelation. 1,2,3,4,7, etc. How many times are we seeing, seeing, and seeing the Word of revelation today? He went to God to know the meaning (15). We should pray that God will open our eyes even when we do QT or listen to sermons. Ps. 119: 18, “Open my eyes, that I may see wonderful things in Your law.” You can understand only when God makes you realize(16), Ephe.1:17,18, “Give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. Open the eyes of your heart.” When he came before the glory of God, he fell on his face in fear(17). When we speak the Word, we are standing in the presence of a holy God, so we must fear and bow before God. Read the Word carefully and return to God and live a holy life. No country or king in the world is eternal. Babylon, Persia, the Greek Empire, and the Roman Empire were as finite as ‘bubble’ (Greek meaning). The appointed time has an end (17,19, 17.He came out to the place where I stood, and when he came out, I was afraid and fell on my face with his face on the ground, and he said to me, Son of man, understand and know that this vision is about the end of the appointed time. I will make known to you what will happen after the end of your time, for this vision concerns the end of the appointed time). Only Jesus Christ, who will come again, is eternal. Therefore, as God's holy people, let's love the eternal Lord with all our heart and all our heart and live our lives as a holy people.

2. Armed with the Word, let's overcome Satan.
  The Little Horn, a type of Antichrist (Little Horn, Antiochus IV), deceives, destroys peace, and persecutes the Church (12-14). But he too will be judged and destroyed at the end. As soldiers of the cross, we will have to live by overcoming Satan and evil spirits with the Holy Spirit and the Word.

3. Let's live a life of healing with humility.

  Daniel fell into a deep sleep before this great vision, fearful before God, and fell on his face with his face to the ground. But he caressed Daniel and lifted him up (17,18, when he spoke to me, I fell on my face and fell into a deep sleep, and he stroked me and lifted me up). V.27: Then I, Daniel, were weary and sick for many days, and then got up and saw the king's work. He was exhausted and sick for many days, and then he got up and went out the king's work. Do your best at the given task. Look at your neighbors who are struggling in a world ruled by the devil. It is an amazing and great promise of eternal life that we cannot bear, but let's pray for that day and be faithful to the work given to us. As citizens of the kingdom of God, I pray that you will live your life while fulfilling the mission of evangelism with Jesus’ life. Amen.