Closer Day By Day

To be very honest, it is with great trepidation that I write today’s entry. This is because the second half of the Book of Daniel is known as the Revelation of the Old Testament and for good reason too. Therefore, just as I would not dare to expound on the mysteries in Revelation, I would also not dare to elucidate our passage for today.

However, there are certain established explanations of some of the visions in the passage as well as some practical teachings we can draw from the passage thus these are what I intend to share today.

Before that though, let us read the passage.

Bible Passage:  Daniel 7-12

The Past - The times of man are in the hands of God

As we read the passage, we must bear in mind the dates provided by Daniel as he records the visions he saw. This is so that we can see how the progress of history is unfolded before his eyes prior to the events actually happening.

The dates of the visions are given in the following verses:

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon [...] (Dan 7:1) - About 550 B.C.

In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar [...] (Dan 8:1) - About 548 B.C.

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus [...] (Dan 9:1) - 539 B.C.

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia [...] (Dan 10:1) - 536 B.C.

Also in the first year of Darius the Mede [...] (Dan 11:1) - 539 B.C.

We can see that Daniel received these visions in the period from approximately 550 B.C. to 539 B.C. Yet, the visions entail events that will happen up to our present age. The table below shows how the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 2 and the vision of Daniel in chapter 7 complement each other and by putting in the approximate period in which each empire conquered the other and was at the height of its power, we can see the how God revealed to Daniel the things which are to come hundreds of years before the happening of events.

While the revelation is truly remarkable, the significance behind the revelation is even more noteworthy just as in any revelations or prophecies. The point we must realise is that God can reveal all these things to His servants because He is in control of history and of the times of man.

As Hannah puts it,

The LORD kills and makes alive;
He brings down to the grave and brings up.

The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
He brings low and lifts up.

He raises the poor from the dust
And lifts the beggar from the ash heap,
To set them among princes
And make them inherit the throne of glory.

“For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s,
And He has set the world upon them.

(1 Sam 2:6-8)

Therefore, let us entrust our whole beings into the hands of this God who governs history and our times because while we may not know what tomorrow brings, He already sees to the end of time.

The Dream - Dan 2:31-33		4 Kingdoms - Dan 2:37-45*	4 Beasts - Dan 7:1-7	Cross References
	Head of gold	Babylon Dan 2:37-38 18th Century B.C. - 539 B.C.	Dan 7:4	Jer 4:13, 48:40, 49:22,50:17, 29-30, 51:27-29 Is 13:17-19
	Breast and arms of silver	Medo-Persian Empire Dan 5:28 539 B.C. - 331 B.C.	Dan 7:5	Dan 6:28, 7:5, 8:3-4, 20, 11:1-2 Dan 7:6, 8:5-8, 10:20, 11:2-4
	Belly and thighs of brass	Grecian Empire Dan 2:39 331 B.C. - 146 B.C.	Dan 7:6
	Legs of iron Feet and toes of part iron and part clay	Two legs (Dan 2:33) Roman Empire 146 B.C. - Ten toes (Dan 2:41-43)	Dan 7:7 Ten horns Dan 7:24	Dan 7:17, 19, 23-24 Rev 12:3, 9, 12, 19:19-21 Ten kings Rev 17:12

*Periods given are not exact but close approximates and show empires in height of power rather than period from the time they were formed to time of destruction.

The Present - The people who know their God shall be strong

From the visions, one of the events that we can see and which concerns us is the coming of the Antichrist. This is the little horn ‘speak[ing] pompous words against the Most High’ (Dan 7:25).

This is a danger which we know we face today and indeed, the Antichrist seeks to break down our church and our personal faith through both deception and persecution. However, we know that ‘the people who know their God shall be strong’ (Dan 11:32) because although these words refer to the Maccabeans, the principle behind them is one that transcends time.

Today, as the Antichrist becomes increasingly rampant and seeks to deceive and persecute us, we have to all the more endure and remain faithful by drawing close to our God and knowing our King.              

The Future - Blessed is he who waits

While it can be said that the visions were frightful, the promise of God is a comfort to us and we know we must carry on in the difficult path. This is as is recorded concerning the end time,

At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.

(Dan 12:1-3)

As we conclude reading the Book of Daniel, may we all be those who are wise and turn many to righteousness so that we shall shine like the brightness of the firmament and like the stars forever and ever.