A VISION FROM GOD. Daniel had a vision that was so strong he fainted and was sick for many days.  He could not understand its meaning. How will he get the interpretation of the vision? Why is his vision significant to us in our day?

In this series of videos, we continue looking at the Judgement from a mathematical perspective. We do this using Daniel and Revelation in the context of the three angels’ messages in Revelation chapter 14.

These messages make up the core of the gospel of Jesus Christ and are the present truth for our time.

If you want to review any of our previous videos, you can find them at SabbathSchoolDaily.com. Additionally, you can obtain the study guide for these lessons at Sabbath.School or ssnet.org.

Seeking God’s Presence

Heavenly Father, the visions and prophesies found in the Bible are relevant. Help us to realize their relevance and seek to understand them.   In Jesus’ Name Amen

This vision that Daniel had is found in the Old Testament in Daniel Chapter 8. What is the significance of this vision? This vision in Daniel 8 is relevant because it demonstrates God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, and it lets us know that God has control over history and the affairs of the world regardless of what we humans may do or not do.

It thus provides encouragement for believers to trust in God’s plans and purposes, even in the midst of political and social turmoil.

Here is an outline of what happens in chapter 8 of the prophetic Book of Daniel. 

In Daniel 8:1-4, Daniel has a vision of a ram with two horns, both horns were high, but one was higher than the other. The higher one came up last. This ram pushes to the west, north, and south, and no animal could stand against him.

In Daniel 8:5-7 Daniel sees a male goat with a single notable horn between its eyes. It comes from the west and attacks the ram with two horns. The male goat with one horn overpowers the ram with two horns and breaks the ram’s two horns, and stamps on him.

In Daniel 8:8-9, The male goat with one horn becomes exceedingly great. Then his great horn is broken, and in its place, four notable horns arise.  And out of one of the four horns grows a little horn. It grows great toward the south, east, and toward what is called the Glorious Land.  

In Daniel 8:10-12 The little horn grows exceedingly great. He becomes powerful and arrogant, so much so that he exalts himself above even the Prince of the host. He causes the daily sacrifices to be stopped, and he desecrates the place of the holy sanctuary. He also tramples down some of the heavenly hosts and stars and casts truth to the ground. He is able to prosper for a time because of the sins of the people.

Then in Daniel 8:13-14, Daniel hears two holy ones speaking, one of whom asks how long the vision will last, and the other responds that it will last 2,300 days.

In Daniel 8:15, Daniel is confused and does not understand the vision, so he asks for an interpretation.

Hence,

In Daniel 8:16-19, Gabriel, an angel, is instructed to make the vision clear. Therefore, Gabriel appears to Daniel, touches him, sets him up, and tells him that he has come to help him understand the vision.

So, in Daniel 8:20-26, Gabriel gives Daniel the interpretation of the vision.

Gabriel reveals that the ram represents Media and Persia, and the goat represents Greece. The four horns that arise in its place represent the four kingdoms that emerge from Greece.

 After the four horns that arise from the broken horn of the male goat in Daniel 8, Gabriel goes on to describe a little horn that emerges from one of the four horns. This little horn grows exceedingly great and even rises up against the Prince of princes, but it is eventually destroyed by divine intervention.

Based on historical events, even though the Bible does not specifically identify the little horn. Many attribute it to Rome in its political and then religiopolitical state.

This part of the vision Daniel clearly understood, but in Daniel 8:27, after hearing the interpretation of the rises and falls of the various kingdoms, Daniel becomes disturbed by the vision regarding the 2300 days. He is so troubled by it that he fell sick for several days.

Then the angel Gabriel returns to Daniel, giving him the following instructions found in Daniel 9:23

23 At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision: (Daniel 9:23) (Split)

Gabriel tells Daniel to consider the matter and understand the vision.

Why is this advice important? And how does this advice help us to understand Daniel’s vision in Daniel 8:14 which says:

14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”

This is the part of the vision that was so disturbing to Daniel. Why?

In Daniel 9:24–27, Gabriel continues to explain the vision. His focus is now on the vision of the 2300 days.  It says:

24 “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.

25 “Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.

26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.” (Daniel 9:24-27)

The first part of this time prophesy is related to God’s people, the Jews. Gabriel in Daniel 9:24 says: “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city.”

Now it is important to know that in Bible prophecy, one day equals one literal year. This is based on Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34.

Ezekiel 4:6

6 And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year. (Ezekiel 4:6)

Numbers 14:34

34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection. (Numbers 14:34)

In terms of prophecy, as in the case of Daniel and Revelation, this rule is referred to as the day-for-a-year rule or the day-year rule. When the day-year rule is applied for the time prophesy in Daniel 8:14, the 2300 days, the dates, and times match up perfectly with the events in history. This you will see when you watch Day 5: The Messiah “Cut Off” (Split)

When the day-year-rule is used, 70 weeks is equal to 490 days that is because, of course, there are 490 days in 70 weeks. Since one prophetic day equals one year, then 490 days equal 490 literal years.

So Gabriel is telling Daniel in Daniel 9:24 that the “Seventy weeks [or 490 days, which are 490 real years] are determined For your people’ ”.

The words written as “determined”? come from the Hebrew word that can mean “to cut off,” “to divide or separate,” or “to decide.”

Then the question is, Cut off from what? What are the 70 weeks or 490 real years cut off from?

They can only be cut off from the 2,300 days of Daniel 8:14. That is the only other time message that Gabriel mentions. Therefore, the 490 years connect back to the time prophecy in Daniel 8:14, the only part of the dream that Gabriel didn’t explain. Hence, we can see that Gabriel comes to help Daniel understand what he didn’t understand in Daniel 8: the 2,300 days.

 Why does this prophecy start with 2300 years and then subtract 490 years? What is the significance of this, and how is it relevant to us? Watch our next video, Day 5: The Messiah “Cut Off.”

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