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Two Little Horns?

The figure called the “ Little Horn ” figures prominently in the visions of the  Book of Daniel . It is explicitly named in the visions of the “ four beasts from the sea ” and of the “ Ram and the Goat .” It is reasonable to assume both visions portray the same figure. The historical references in the first vision are enigmatic, and in the second, they become explicit. But to understand the larger picture, we must begin with the dream of Nebuchadnezzar recorded in Chapter 2 since it provides the fourfold structure underlying the later visions.

Son of Destruction

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Many saints will apostatize when the Lawless One, the Son of Destruction, seats himself in the Sanctuary of God . As the Apostle Paul explained to the Thessalonians, the “ Day of the Lord ” would not arrive until the “ Apostasy ” occurred and the “ Man of Lawlessness ” was unveiled, the one who would seat himself “ in the Sanctuary of God .” Paul also labeled him the “ Son of Destruction ,” but is there any additional significance to this second designation?

War Against the Saints

SYNOPSIS - Language from Daniel’s vision of the “little horn” that waged war against the “saints” is applied in Revelation to the church – Daniel 7:21.  In the interpretation of the image of the “ little horn ,” this malevolent figure made “ war on the saints and prevail over them .” That same image is reapplied in the  book of Revelation  to the “ war ” of the “ Dragon ” and his vassals against the “ saints ,” those who “ follow the Lamb wherever he goes .” Similarly, descriptive language from this same vision was applied by the Apostle Paul to the coming “ man of lawlessness .”

Fourth Beast

In Chapter 7 of the  Book of Daniel , the fourth “ Beast ” that the Prophet saw “ ascending from the sea ” is presented in more detail than the first three. It is the center and primary concern of the vision. The three other “ beasts ” provided background information for the rise of the fourth kingdom. Unlike the first three, it had no analog in the animal kingdom. It was an unnatural and monstrous creature with “ iron teeth ” and “ ten horns .”

Bear and Leopard - Identities

The identities of the second and third beasts  are found by comparing the vision of Chapter 7 with the Book’s other visions.  In his vision, Daniel saw “ four beasts ascending ” from the sea. The first three featured characteristics of certain animals - the winged lion, the bear, and the leopard with two pairs of wings. The fourth beast did not resemble any known species of animal. It was a horrifying monstrosity with “ great iron teeth ,” “ ten horns ,” and another “ little horn, with a mouth speaking great things .”

Boldness in the Spirit

In response to threats from the high priests, the young church was filled with great boldness of speech by the Spirit  – Acts 4:5-31.  After healing a lame man, Peter and Joh n were confronted by the priestly authorities. They were disturbed because the apostles were “ proclaiming the resurrection ,” and the Sadducees rejected belief in the resurrection of the dead. But the church claimed that the resurrection takes place “ in Jesus ,” and that made its resurrection doctrine especially distinct.

Prayer and Visitation

After contemplating  Jeremiah’s prophecy , Daniel began to pray and repent for the nation’s sins. He did not seek revelation into the meaning of the prophecy since he understood its prediction (“ I understood by the writings the number of the years ”). Instead, he confessed Israel’s sins as Jeremiah had instructed.

Word of Jeremiah

Daniel received the revelation about the “ seventy weeks ” in the “ first year ” of Darius the Mede, shortly after the fall of the Neo-Babylonian Empire to the “ Medes and Persians .” And his inquiry and prayer indicate that the events in chapter 9 occurred before the return of the first Jewish exiles to Jerusalem after the decree of Cyrus the Great.

Final Week - Abomination

The period of “ seventy weeks ” concludes with several unanswered questions, but the prophecy is not the end of the matter. Clear verbal links connect it to the visions of chapters 7 and 8, and to the subsequent vision in chapter 11. It is one part of a larger whole. The complete picture becomes clear only when all the visions of Daniel are considered.

After Sixty-Two Weeks

The final “ week ” culminates in the desecration of the Temple and the cessation of the daily burnt offerings. In  Daniel , the focus is on the sanctuary and its ritual pollution. The described events occurred in Jerusalem, most pivotally, the “ abomination that desolates .” The latter was installed by the figure who “ corrupts ” many of the “ people .”

Word to Return

Understanding the “start date” of the “ seventy weeks ” is vital to its interpretation.  WHEN  the period commenced determines when it will end. Fortunately, the interpreting angel provided Daniel with that information - “ From the going forth of the word to return and to build Jerusalem .” And the identification of this “ word ” is found in the context of the chapter.

First Sixty-Nine Weeks

Next, the angel briefly describes the first sixty-nine “ weeks ” of the prophecy. As he declared, “ seventy weeks are divided upon your people and upon your holy city .” After presenting the redemption that will be realized by the end of the period, he explains its three subdivisions of “ seven weeks ,” “ sixty-two weeks ,” and finally, “ one week .”

Seventy-Sevens Divided

The angel divided the period of “ seventy weeks ” into three divisions - the initial period of “ seven weeks ,” the second of “ sixty-two weeks ,” and the final segment of “ one week .” The latter is subdivided further into two “ half weeks .” And at the start of the prophecy, the angel listed six redemptive goals that must be achieved by the end of all seventy “ weeks .”

The Spiritual Man

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The spiritually minded man understands that the proclamation of Christ Crucified is God’s power and wisdom . Overused today by both the church and society, the English term ‘spiritual’ has become virtually meaningless. To some people, it is synonymous with the word  religion . To be  religious  is to be  spiritual . To others, it refers to things that are not of this physical universe, things and beings that are supernatural, otherworldly, noncorporeal, invisible, and timeless.

The Exalted Lamb

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The sacrifice and exaltation of Jesus are prominent themes in the  Book of Revelation . The plan of God to redeem humanity and His creation is unveiled in its visions and images. It is his death and resurrection, and his consequent enthronement that have put this plan into action. His sovereignty over the Cosmos is the result of his faithful testimony given in his sacrificial death. Jesus of Nazareth is the “ Lamb who is worthy ”!

The Shepherd King

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The  Book of Revelation  assures the beleaguered congregations of Asia that Jesus reigns and has events firmly in hand despite appearances and the hostility of neighbors and even local magistrates. His sovereignty is based on his past death and resurrection, and therefore absolute, extending even over “ Death and Hades .” His resurrection from the dead marked the start of his reign from the Throne at the center of the Universe.

Signs on the Earth

The prophecy in the book of Joel sets the tone for Acts, including the signs and wonders that accompany the gospel  – Acts 2:17-21.  Jesus told the disciples to “ tarry in Jerusalem ”  UNTIL  they receive the Spirit, then to proclaim the “ kingdom of God ” in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and the “ uttermost parts of the earth .” The book of  Acts  records how the early church carried out this mission under the power of the Spirit.

Pentecost - Outcome

The final paragraph of the second chapter of Acts summarizes the results of the Spirit’s outpouring. It describes the basic practices of the young congregation that resulted from the Spirit’s presence – Teaching, shared meals, fellowship, prayers, unity, and material support for individuals in need. The one unique feature is the holding of possessions “in common” under the administration of the Apostles.

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Two Little Horns?