Bible Study Notes for Lord’s Day,
September 27, 2009
Daniel 8
How Long, O Lord?
Introduction What kinds of experiences did Daniel have with the
Holy Spirit in that upper room? The next chapters tell us what he
saw, even to the coming of Christ, and the warfare leading up to
it.
1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared
to me—to me, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me
the first time. 2 I saw in the vision, and it so happened while
I was looking, that I was in Shushan, the citadel, which is in the
province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River
Ulai. 3 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside
the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were
high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came
up last. 4 I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward,
so that no animal could withstand him; nor was there any that could
deliver from his hand, but he did according to his will and became
great.
5 And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the
west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the
ground; and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. 6 Then
he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing
beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. 7 And I saw
him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, attacked
the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram
to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled
him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand.
8 Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong,
the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones
came up toward the four winds of heaven. 9 And out of one of them
came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south,
toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up
to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some
of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted
himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily
sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast
down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the
horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the
ground. He did all this and prospered.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said
to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision
be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation,
the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?”
14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days;
then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”
15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was
seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having
the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between
the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make
this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I
stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he
said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers
to the time of the end.”
18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with
my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright.
19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall
happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed
time the end shall be. 20 The ram which you saw, having the two
horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the male
goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its
eyes is the first king. 22 As for the broken horn and the four that
stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation,
but not with its power.
23 “ And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
Having fierce features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
25 “ Through his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be broken without human means.
26 “ And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which was told is true;
Therefore seal up the vision,
For it refers to many days in the future.”
27 And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose
and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the
vision, but no one understood it.
1. The War Between Good and Evil
a. Since the beginning
b. In the 2nd Century BC - Antiochus Epiphanes
c. Until the end
2. God’s People Become Involved in the Warfare
7:21 “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against
the saints, and prevailing against them,
7:25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall persecute the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand
For a time and times and half a time.
John 15
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before
it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love
its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out
of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word
that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’
If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept
My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they
will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know
Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would
have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who
hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the
works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they
have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened
that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law,
‘They hated Me without a cause.’
3. The Ways of the Enemy
a. Evil to the core
23 “ And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors
have reached their fullness, a king shall arise, having fierce features,
who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; he shall
destroy fearfully, and shall prosper and thrive; he shall destroy
the mighty, and also the holy people.
25 “ Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper
under his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall
destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the
Prince of princes;
b. Focused on destroying God’s blessing on Earth
9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly
great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious
Land.
25 He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
c. Fights battles in the Heavens to gain control on Earth
10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of
the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them.
24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall
destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy
the mighty, and also the holy people.
d. Extreme pride and presumption
11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host;
25 “ Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under
his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy
many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince
of princes;
e. Tries to destroy the atonement and worship
11b and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place
of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an
army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices;
f. Hates the truth
12b and he cast truth down to the ground.
2 Thess 2
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan,
with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous
deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the
love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason
God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the
lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth
but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
4. How Long, O Lord? Martyrdom is the rule, not the exception
a. God allows the enemy to do evil things for a time and a purpose
12c He did all this and prospered. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking;
and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking,
“How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices
and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary
and the host to be trampled underfoot?” 14 And he said to me,
“For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall
be cleansed.” 19 And he said, “Look, I am making known
to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation;
for at the appointed time the end shall be
b. It’s not easy for God’s People
Psalm 119
81 My soul faints for Your salvation,
But I hope in Your word.
82 My eyes fail from searching Your word,
Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
83 For I have become like a wineskin in smoke,
Yet I do not forget Your statutes.
84 How many are the days of Your servant?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
85 The proud have dug pits for me,
Which is not according to Your law.
86 All Your commandments are faithful;
They persecute me wrongfully;
Help me!
87 They almost made an end of me on earth,
But I did not forsake Your precepts.
88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.
c. When God’s purpose is achieved, the end will come
v25 But he shall be broken without human means.
2 Thessalonians 2
1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon
shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter,
as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one
deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the
falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son
of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is
called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple
of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you
these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may
be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is
already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is
taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed,
whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy
with the brightness of His coming.
5. How Will We Respond to Persecution?
a. Don’t be surprised
John 15
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before
it hated you.
b. Strengthen ourselves
Matthew 24
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him
privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And
what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no
one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I
am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear
of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all
these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation
will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there
will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you,
and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10
And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will
hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive
many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will
grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And
this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as
a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’spoken
of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever
reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea
flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go
down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in
the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who
are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been
since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall
be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved;
but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’
or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and
false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive,
if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.
26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the
desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’
do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and
flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered
together.
c. Know that Deliverance is Coming
Matthew 24
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun
will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars
will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then
all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son
of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet,
and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from
one end of heaven to the other.
d. Maintain Purpose and Priorities
I would lay down my life for my country. How much more for the Kingdom
of God, to bring in the Final King, the Lord Jesus?
Conclusion v13-14
Application to My Life
Pastor Steve Boggan
Living Waters Christian Fellowship
Heritage Ranch by Lake Nacimiento, CA
Website - livingwaters.cc
