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Showing posts with the label Little Horn

Arrogant King of the North

Beginning with the division of the Greek empire, the angel outlines the coming conflicts between two of the subsequent realms that will culminate in the rise of a “ contemptible ” ruler. Previously, the rise and division of the Greek empire were portrayed in the vision of the “Ram” and of the “ Goat ,” representing the realms of the “ Medes and Persians ” and “ Greece ,” respectively.

Desolating Abomination - Context

The climax of the ‘Seventy Weeks’ prophecy is the appearance of the “ abomination that desolates .” But what is it? The reference to it in chapter 9 is neither the first nor the last word on the matter. Interpreting the “ abomination ” in isolation from the larger literary context produces incomplete and even false answers to the question.

Mouth Speaking Great Things

In the  Book of Revelation , the “ Little Horn ” from Daniel’s visions is  NOT  referred to  explicitly   but its characteristics are present in the “ Beast from the Sea .” The Book does not retell the same story from Daniel without changes. Instead, it modifies and repurposes it to tell  ITS  story. The “ Beast ” is based on Daniel’s “ Little Horn ,” but it also is something beyond it, and arguably, far worse.

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 The historical references in the first vision are enigmatic, and in the second, they become explicit.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 .”

King of Fierce Countenance

In the second half of Chapter 8, Daniel receives the interpretation of his vision of the “ Ram and the Goat .” In Chapter 7, only the first “ Beast from the Sea ,” the lion-like creature, could be identified with certainty, namely, the Neo-Babylonian Empire. In contrast, in the interpretation in Chapter 8, two of the four kingdoms are identified by name, the “ Kingdom of the Medes and Persians ” and “ Greece .”

The Ram and Goat

Next, Daniel received a vision of a “ Ram ” and a “ Goat ” with a prominent horn. The Ram represented the “ Kingdom of the Medes and Persians ,” the Goat symbolized the kingdom of Greece, and its large horn represented its first great king who overthrew the “ Ram .” The vision is followed by an interpretation provided by an angelic figure. The Goat’s single horn was broken and replaced by four smaller horns.

Little Horn - Interpretation

The second half of Chapter 7 of  Daniel  interprets the vision of the “ fourth Beast ” with the “ little horn ” that concluded in a judgment scene and with the declaration that the figure “ like a Son of Man ” received “ dominion ” and kingship from the “ Ancient of Days. ” Consequently, “ all peoples, races and tongues rendered homage to him. His dominion was an everlasting dominion, which should not pass away ” - (Daniel 7:9-14).