Day 257
Daniel prayed, and before he could even finish his sentence, God and the angels were already at work. He was on his knees pouring out his heart, and Gabriel said, “At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly loved” (Daniel 9:21-23). The moment he began, God heard him. His voice was heard the second he started his sentence. God heard the grief, the confession, and the hope.
“You are greatly loved,” the angel said. That is still true for you today. Your whispered prayers in the car, the ones you cry into a pillow, the ones you pour out with your life group when the pain is too heavy to carry alone, the ones you have prayed for so many times you wonder if anyone is listening. They all matter. God hears them, so never give up. Pray when you feel fearless and pray when you feel lowest. Pray without ceasing. You never know; the answer may have already left heaven before you can say, “Amen.”
When your prayers feel small and tired, can you trust that God leaned in at the very first word?
Chapter 7 is a flashback. It takes place in the first year of King Belshazzar, about 14 years before chapter 5. Chapter 5 records Belshazzar’s last year of reign and the fall of Babylon to the Medes. Daniel received this vision long before the handwriting on the wall. Chapter 6 started the reign under Darius. The book of Daniel, chapters 1-6, is mostly history. Now we move into the apocalyptic visions in chapters 7-12.
Daniel had a dream of the four winds of heaven, coming from each compass direction, and four great beasts coming from the sea (or “sea” meaning chaos). This was similar to the vision from chapter 2. The four beasts are described:
- Lion with wings of an eagle= The Babylonian Empire. Its wings were torn off, and it stood like a human. The plucked wings represented humiliation, and the new mind pointed to restoration. A winged lion was a typical symbol for Babylon in ancient times.
- Bear raised up with three ribs in its mouth= Medo-Persia. The three ribs were its conquests: Lydia, Egypt, and Babylon. The bear looked lopsided, and it was still hungry.
- Leopard with four bird wings on its back and four heads= The leopard was fast, and with the wings, it had a faster rise to power. It was given dominion. This represented Greece under Alexander the Great.
- A terrifying beast with iron teeth and a little horn. Three of the first horns were uprooted. The little horn had eyes like a man and a mouth, showing intelligence and arrogant speech. The iron teeth were like Rome, similar to the iron legs on the statue in chapter 2. The ten horns were kingdoms that arose from it. The little horn was an arrogant ruler (Antichrist) who waged war against the holy people.
Then came the Ancient of Days. God the Father is eternal and wise; His clothing is white with purity. The fire pictured His judgment and holiness. The books record human deeds. Judgment fell because of the little horn’s boastful words, and that beast was slain. The Son of Man (Jesus called Himself this, Matthew 24:30) was given everlasting dominion overall. He received the eternal kingdom the beasts could never keep. Human kingdoms rise and fall, but God’s kingdom will last forever.
Time, times, and half a time= 3.5 years. This ruler would try to alter time on the calendars and for festivals and God’s laws. This was not multiplication, but a word picture.
Time=1
Times =2
Half a time = ½
Together that equals 3.5. Daniel 7:25 says this ruler would try to change the set times and laws.
The fourth beast is the fourth kingdom; it is different from all of the others, and it will devour the whole earth.
Chapter 8 was a vision of Daniel received while he was in the citadel of Susa, the capital of Persia, by the Ulai Canal. That is where the next empire would rise. It was about a wicked ruler who opposed God’s people and temple. Daniel saw himself in Susa, but he still lived in Babylon. The vision pointed ahead to the rise and fall of Greece, which God would destroy.
Ram= kings of Media and Persia. Their uneven horns were because Persia was more dominant.
Goat= Greece. It came from the west so fast that its feet did not touch the ground, and it trampled the ram.
Large Horn= Alexander the Great. That horn was broken off. Alexander died young, at the age of 32. History matches this Biblical account accurately.
A small horn grew (most scholars say it is Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who reigned from 175–164 BC). He was a Seleucid (Syrian Greek) king who invaded Egypt and persecuted the Jews. He defiled the temple by placing a pig on the altar.
Daniel 8:14 speaks of 2,300 evenings and mornings. Many understand that as 1,150 days between the defilement of the altar and its restoration under the Maccabees.
The angel Gabriel (the same Gabriel named in Luke 1:19) was sent to help Daniel understand. Daniel fainted, and Gabriel touched him and woke him up. The vision said this ruler’s rise was not by his own power, and he would cause terrible devastation. He would be destroyed, but not by human hands.
Daniel was so exhausted that he could not comprehend the vision and had to call in sick from his work for the king!
Chapter 9 was during the first year of Darius, son of Xerxes, after Babylon had fallen. Daniel had read the Scripture in Jeremiah (the same that we have) and understood the 70 years of destruction that would fall on Jerusalem. He knew that those years were almost up and he was so grieved. Daniel prayed without stopping. He confessed Israel’s sins, acknowledged that God is righteous, and appealed to God’s covenant. He asked for mercy, not because of Israel’s faithfulness, but because of God’s mercy.
Then Gabriel showed up again to give him understanding. The “seventy weeks,” or “seventy sevens,” was God’s long-term plan:
- Finish the transgression.
- Put an end to sin.
- Atone for wickedness.
- Bring in everlasting righteousness.
- Seal up the vision and prophecy.
- Anoint the Most Holy Place.
The timelines are:
7 sevens = 49 years
62 sevens = 434 years
Together, 69 sevens = 483 years
After the 62 sevens, the Anointed One would be put to death (Jesus). One seven still remains. In the middle of that last seven is 3.5 years. Some scholars think this is the last week as a future covenant and the seven-year tribulation.
Daniel moved from prayer to a divine revelation of God’s long-term plan. It was God’s way of dealing with the problems that Daniel had just confessed. There would still be devastation and wars. Jerusalem would be destroyed again. But in verse 27, Daniel left us with hope. There will be an end, and it is all part of God’s plan.
Today's Discussion question:
When your prayers feel small and tired, can you trust that God leaned in at the very first word?
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