Talk

Ancient Prophesies, Modern Problems

Ben Stuart

November, 10, 2024

As the Believers in Babylon collection continues, Pastor Ben Stuart takes us through a portion of history that was prophesied about in Daniel 8. Since history often repeats itself, Ben gives us warnings to spur us to live and serve in our earthly kingdoms with God’s Kingdom in mind.

Key Takeaway

God sets up structures and works within them for human flourishing, but when things go wrong, we can rest assured that God is working.

In Daniel 8, he is explaining a vision he had, and an angel was commanded to explain the vision. The ram with two horns represents Media and Persia. Persia was the larger of the two horns, and the ram stamped out everyone everywhere. All of this was also prophesied about in Isaiah 44, yet Cyrus, King of Persia, is called out by name long before he was born and is used by God to send His people back to the Promised Land that they had been taken out of by Babylon. Persia became arrogant and was wiped out by Greece, the goat in the dream. Alexander the Great represents one of the horns on the goat. The horns represented kings. When he died, the horn fell off, and four more took its place. This represents the four kingdoms his generals created when his kingdom was divided among them. Two of the major ones were the Seleucids and the Ptolemies. As they fought each other for power, Israel became a political football.

As the dream goes on, a baby horn emerges from one of the horns. It grew exceedingly great. This horn is Antiochus IV of the Seleucid Empire. He’s tricky, deceitful, and wild. He named himself “the appearance of glory,” but some used a play on words and called him “the appearance of a madman.” And he was. He took over the Ptolemies and, therefore, took over Judah. The leader in Israel at the time was the High Priest, Onias. His brother, Jason, paid off Antiochus so he could depose his brother and become the high priest, promising to make Israel more Greek-like. Jason’s servant, Menelaus, took tribute to the king and offered more money so he could be the high priest. Antiochus agrees. So, the priesthood that had been in the line of Aaron since the beginning comes to an end. A dramatic shift happens to the worship in the Temple. There is a major push to Helenize the Jewish people by ending their worship of Yahweh and replacing it with Zeus.

The Ptolemies and Seleucids continue to battle, but when Antiochus travels down to them to show up to fight, he finds a line drawn in the sand by Rome. He had to call off the battle and return home humiliated while Jason was trying to get his position back from Menelaus and the Jewish people pushing back on worshiping Zeus. He takes all of his wrath out on the people of Israel. He plundered the Temple and killed over 40,000 men, women, and children in three days. He displaced another 40,000 and tried to stamp out anything having to do with Yahweh.

This little horn, Antiochus, threw down the stars and the saints and trampled on them. He took away the burnt offering and threw truth to the ground. He didn’t just plunder the Temple, he set up an altar to Zeus and sacrificed a pig on it that he had spread throughout. He then had his soldiers sleep with prostitutes in every room to defile it further. This is known as the Abomination of Desolation.

After Daniel saw this, he asked the angel how long does this go on. He replied it would be 2,300 evenings until the Temple was restored to its rightful state. History tells us that Antiochus leaves Israel but keeps soldiers there to force worship of Zeus. Mattathias, an old priest, refused to sacrifice to Zeus, but a scared younger priest did. This caused Mattathias to take the sword and kill the priest and the soldiers. He then fled with his 5 sons. There continued to be skirmishes, but the tiny group of God’s people kept winning, and it drove Antiochus mad. Eventually, Mattathias died of old age, but his son, Judah the Maccabee, hammered the soldiers down. When Antiochus heard this, he died either of depression or a seizure. Regardless, God took him out. Judah returned to the Temple, found the candles, and restored it. This is celebrated as Hanukkah, the feast of lights.

What can we learn from all of this?

First, Heaven rules.

That’s the theme of this book. God sets up kings and deposes them; He uses them for His good. Over all these conquerings, we see God’s work: synagogues were created during the exile in Babylon; they returned under Persian rule; Greece brought one common language that could be spoken in all the synagogues; and Rome had a road system that facilitated the spread of the Gospel.

Second, be humble.

As soon as an empire becomes proud, God removes them. Serve your kingdom by embodying God’s kingdom values. We want kingdoms to flourish. We pray for our leaders. Heaven rules over all kingdoms, so take up the power He has given you, but do it with humility.

Lastly, be hopeful.

This world is crazy, and sin abounds, but in the midst of it, God will bring His people back, establish His name, accomplish His purposes, send His Son as an offering for sin, and redeem all who repent. Heaven rules and that’s good news for all who acknowledge Him. You can acknowledge that life is tough, but we don’t lose hope.

“

"This world is crazy, and sin abounds, but in the midst of it, God will bring His people back, establish His name, accomplish His purposes, send His Son as an offering for sin, and His Son will redeem all who repent."

”

Ben Stuart

Discussion Questions

Daniel 8:16 is the first time we see an angel called by name. What is the angel's name, and where else do we see him in Scripture?
What empire does the ram represent?
The goat represents Greece. Who is the horn on the goat? After that falls off, who are the other four horns? Who is the little horn, and what empire is he from?
What name did Antiochus give himself? What nickname did the people give him? What actions did he partake in that made this a fitting play on words?
What did Antiochus force upon the Jewish people who worshiped Yahweh?
Why was Antiochus so mad as he headed home from calling off the battle with the Ptolemies? Who unexpectedly stepped in? How did he take out his wrath?
What is the Abomination of Desolation?
Looking through all the empires, how do you see the hand of God upon His people? In what ways in your own life is it evident that Heaven rules over it?
We are called to be humble. How are you embodying God's Kingdom values as you serve within the earthly kingdom you've been set in?
Why can we hope in a world where sin abounds?

Scripture References

Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and a Goat

1In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had already appeared to me. 2In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal. 3I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. 4I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and became great.

5As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. 6It came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at it in great rage. 7I saw it attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it, and none could rescue the ram from its power. 8The goat became very great, but at the height of its power the large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.

9Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. 10It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. 11It set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the

Lord

; it took away the daily sacrifice from the

Lord

, and his sanctuary was thrown down. 12Because of rebellion, the

Lord

’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.

13Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the

Lord

’s people?”

14He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.”

The Interpretation of the Vision

15While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. 16And I heard a man’s voice from the Ulai calling, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision.”

17As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.”

18While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet.

19He said: “I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end.20The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king. 22The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power.

23“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. 24He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. 25He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.

26“The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.”

27I, Daniel, was worn out. I lay exhausted for several days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding.

Ben Stuart

Ben Stuart is the pastor of Passion City Church D.C. Prior to joining Passion City Church, Ben served as the executive director of Breakaway Ministries on the campus of Texas A&M. He also earned a master’s degree in historical theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Donna, live to inspire and equip people to walk with God for a lifetime.