Through the Bible – Day 342

_1-2Daniel wrote:

In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylonia, I had some dreams and visions while I was asleep one night, and I wrote them down.

The four winds were stirring up the mighty sea, ₃when suddenly four powerful beasts came out of the sea. Each beast was different. ₄The first was like a lion with the wings of an eagle. As I watched, its wings were pulled off. Then it was lifted to an upright position and made to stand on two feet, just like a human, and it was given a human mind.

₅The second beast looked like a bear standing on its hind legs. It held three ribs in its teeth, and it was told, “Attack! Eat all the flesh you want.”

₆The third beast was like a leopard—except that it had four wings and four heads. It was given authority to rule.

₇The fourth beast was stronger and more terrifying than the others. Its huge teeth were made of iron, and what it didn't grind with its teeth, it smashed with its feet. It was different from the others, and it had horns on its head—ten of them. ₈Just as I was thinking about these horns, a smaller horn appeared, and three of the other horns were pulled up by the roots to make room for it. This horn had the eyes of a human and a mouth that spoke with great pride.

₁₁I watched closely to see what would happen to this smaller horn because of the arrogant things it was saying. Then before my very eyes, the fourth beast was killed and its body destroyed by fire. ₁₂The other three beasts had their authority taken from them, but they were allowed to live a while longer. ₁₃As I continued to watch the vision that night,

₁₅Daniel wrote:

I was terrified by these visions, and I didn't know what to think. ₁₆So I asked one of those standing there, and he explained, ₁₇“The four beasts are four earthly kingdoms. ₁₈But God Most High will give his kingdom to his chosen ones, and it will be theirs for ever and ever.”

₁₉I wanted to know more about the fourth beast, because it was so different and much more terrifying than the others. What was the meaning of its iron teeth and bronze claws and of its feet that smashed what the teeth and claws had not ground and crushed? ₂₀I also wanted to know more about all ten of those horns on its head. I especially wanted to know more about the one that took the place of three of the others—the horn that had eyes and spoke with arrogance and seemed greater than the others. ₂₁While I was looking, this horn attacked God's chosen ones and was winning the battle. ₂₂Then God Most High, the Eternal God, came and judged in favour of his chosen ones, because the time had arrived for them to be given the kingdom.

₂₈That was what I saw and heard. I turned pale with fear and kept it all to myself.

₁Daniel wrote:

In the third year of King Belshazzar of Babylonia, I had a second vision ₂in which I was in Susa, the chief city of Babylonia's Elam Province. I was beside the River Ulai, ₃when I looked up and saw a ram standing there with two horns on its head—both of them were long, but the second one was longer than the first. ₄The ram went charging towards the west, the north, and the south. No other animals were strong enough to oppose him, and nothing could save them from his power. So he did as he pleased and became even more powerful.

₅I kept on watching and saw a goat come from the west and charge across the entire earth, without even touching the ground. Between his eyes was a powerful horn, ₆and with tremendous anger the goat started towards the ram that I had seen beside the river. ₇The goat was so fierce that its attack broke both horns of the ram, leaving him powerless. Then the goat trampled on the ram, and no one could do anything to help. ₈After this, the goat became even more powerful. But at the peak of his power, his mighty horn was broken, and four other mighty horns took its place—one pointing to the north and one to the east, one to the south and one to the west.

₉A little horn came from one of these, and its power reached to the south, the east, and even to the holy land. ₁₀It became so strong that it attacked the stars in the sky, which were heaven's army. Then it threw some of them down to the earth and trampled on them. _11-12It humiliated heaven's army and dishonoured its leader by keeping him from offering the daily sacrifices. In fact, it was so terrible that it even disgraced the temple and wiped out true worship. It also did everything else it wanted to do.

₁₃Then one of the holy angels asked another, “When will the daily sacrifices be offered again? What about this horrible rebellion? When will the temple and heaven's army no longer be trampled in the dust?”

₁₄The other answered, “It will be two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings before the temple is dedicated and in use again.”

₁₅Daniel wrote:

I was trying to understand the meaning of the vision, when someone suddenly appeared there beside me. ₁₆And from beside the River Ulai, a voice like that of a human said, “Gabriel, help him understand the vision.”

₁₇Gabriel came over, and I fell to the ground in fear. Then he said, “You are merely a human, but you need to understand that this vision is about the end of time.”

₁₈While he was speaking, I fell face down in a deep sleep. But he lifted me to my feet ₁₉and said:

₂₇After this, I was so worn out and weak that it was several days before I could get out of bed and go about my duties for the king. I was disturbed by this vision that made no sense to me.

₁₇My dear friends, remember the warning you were given by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ₁₈They told you that near the end of time, selfish and godless people would start making fun of God. ₁₉And now these people are already making you turn against each other. They think only about this life, and they don't have God's Spirit.

₂₀Dear friends, keep building on the foundation of your most holy faith, as the Holy Spirit helps you to pray. ₂₁And keep in step with God's love, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to show how kind he is by giving you eternal life. ₂₂Be helpful to all who may have doubts. ₂₃Rescue any who need to be saved, as you would rescue someone from a fire. Then with fear in your own hearts, have mercy on everyone who needs it. But hate even the clothes of those who have been made dirty by their filthy deeds.

_24-25Offer praise to God our Saviour because of our Lord Jesus Christ! Only God can keep you from falling and make you pure and joyful in his glorious presence. Before time began and now and for evermore, God is worthy of glory, honour, power, and authority. Amen.