This is Connect the Skip Hijig. Thanks for joining us for today's program. At Connect with Skip, our mission is to help you connect with God's Word in a deeper way and see how it applies to everyday life. That's why we make Bible teaching like today's available to you and people all around the world, on radio, online, and through resources that equip you to grow in your faith. One great way to do that is by taking the 30K 30-day challenge, a free daily email journey through the New Testament.
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Now, let's dive into today's teaching from Pastor Skiff Heitzig. I was reading this week about Uh an ESPN Sports commentator. about an NBA basketball team. that have made it to the finals. And he kept using the word great.
This is a great team. They have Great. Rebounding. They have a great defense. There's great Three-point shooters on this team.
Great, great, great. He kept saying how great they were.
So it got me to thinking. Not only do we use that word a great deal, And sometimes this is a throwaway term. How are you doing? I'm doing great.
Well, how's everything at home? Great. What about your work? Great. What does it mean to be great?
What is the best definition of that term? I think if you were to ask The world, our culture outside the church. Define greatness. They would come up with at least four categories. A person with Power.
Would be considered a great person. in their eyes. He has the or she has the ability to control things around them, power. Prestige would also fit the term great in the world's point of view. The accolades that are given to a person for what he or she has accomplished.
Power, prestige. Position. would be part of their definition. The status they have achieved in their culture, their society, their school, wherever they're at. And then possessions, what a person owns.
All of that would be considered great. I looked it up in the dictionary. It's a simple word, but It's a very telling definition. According to Webster's dictionary, Great means considerably above normal. or above average.
A synonym would be remarkable. That's a remarkable team, a remarkable person, a remarkable thing, above average, above normal. The problem with using the term great is that as soon as you use it for one thing, you are inferring that something else is. Not so great. Like a man who went to the doctor and he said, Doctor, I am suffering from an inferiority complex.
The doctor ran a series of tests for several weeks, came back to him and said, Actually, it's not a complex. You really are inferior. A very sad thing for a doctor to tell somebody. And sometimes the term Great. Shows up in a formal name.
I went on Google and found No less than 142 people with the word great attached to their name. Herod the Great, Ivan the Great, Alexander the Great, Napoleon the Great, 142 different people.
So, what I like to do by using the text of scripture today, Daniel chapter 8, is look at three people. One that is mentioned by name, two that are inferred in the text. A prophet named Daniel, a Persian named Cyrus, a prodigy named Alexander, whom we know as Alexander the Great. And look at what greatness really is. How can a person be great in God's estimation?
How can our lives be significant so as to make a real difference? How can I make sure that I'm not just breathing air and occupying space? But I'm doing something noteworthy. Even above average and normal, in God's estimation, not in the world's. What does it mean to be great?
Now, as we get into chapter 8, I need to tie it together with chapter 7 and just remind you. that in chapter 7, Daniel had a vision, a prophetic vision of the future. He looked ahead from his time onward Through four successive world-governing empires to which his people, the Jews, would be subject for centuries. all the way to the second coming of Christ. He saw four kingdoms in chapter seven.
Now in chapter eight, He gives us details. On the second and third of those four empires, the Medo-Persian Empire and the Grecian Empire. Why is that? simply because as we'll read Eventually in chapter eight. The Grecian Empire is going to produce somebody who is going to so persecute the Jewish people.
That he'll be like Nebuchadnezzar was in the past, and like the Antichrist will be in the future.
So it is written to comfort the Jewish people in captivity that though hard times are coming, God still has a plan for them. And that includes the coming kingdom.
So let's consider three people. The great and they're not so great. In Daniel, the eighth chapter. First of all, a prophet named Daniel, and you'll notice in verse 1 that his name is mentioned, as it is also mentioned in the last verse of the chapter, verse 27. But in the first verse, we read: 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.
Now I think it's safe to say that most people in the modern culture would not consider Daniel to be great. Yes, he made it up the ladder to become the prime minister. Uh the Babylonian Empire, but He was a pretty despised person because he was a Jewish captive. The Babylonians had come in and subjugated Judah. And That makes him part of a conquered people.
That brings a certain kind of shame with it. You would be considered a military or political loser. Certainly, Daniel would not be put in Time Magazine's Person of the Year award or the top. 10 most influential people. In fact, I I did look in Time magazine's list this week.
at the 100 greatest people of all time. And then they go all the way up to a thousand people. Daniel was not listed in either of those lists.
So, Daniel wouldn't be considered that great, but to God, he certainly was great. Even when we get to Daniel the fifth chapter, when King Belshazzar is on the throne, if you remember. This king brings all the wise men of Babylon before him. Except Daniel. Daniel isn't part of that group.
It's almost as though Daniel was marginalized and kept away from the group. Let's not bring Daniel in. Let's bring the worldly guys in with the worldly wisdom.
Sort of like that. Kid that's the last pick when people are picking teams and he's like the last kid on the field. I know about this because I was off on the last kid. Nobody really wanted I wasn't really great at a lot of those kind of sports.
So, okay, Skip, you can be on our team. You got to be on somebody's team. Daniel could have felt like that. But again, in God's estimation, he was great. Because he's the guy that gets all the revelation of the future.
Yeah, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, but the interpretation came through this prophet Daniel.
So, power, prestige, position, and possessions, God looks at all that and goes, huh? Not so much. Jesus put it this way in the New Testament: what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. God isn't impressed with all that stuff. It's always been that way.
What the world sees as great. God goes, yeah. Fluff. Vanity, nothing. And what the world despises often God will extol.
Consider for a moment John the Baptist. That eccentric, unpredictable. rabble-rousing hippie who ate bugs out in the desert. And said, repent to everyone he could find. People wouldn't consider him great.
But Jesus Christ said, I tell you, of all who have ever been born of women, there is none greater than John the Baptist. He was great. Daniel was great. Though the word doesn't appear in terms of Who he is in this chapter, in God's estimation, he was great.
Now what made him so great? Let me suggest to you three qualities that are found in this man, Daniel. First of all, humility. He was a humble man. Did you notice how verse 1 was phrased?
In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me. Watch this. To me. Daniel. The language of that verse reveals sort of an amazement.
Like, can you believe it? God keeps showing me all of these dreams and visions of the future. That's humility. I believe that some Christians too easily and too flippantly say things like God spoke to me. You make sure God spoke to you if you say that.
Make sure it wasn't last night's. Onions on a burrito.
Well, God showed me.
Well, that's cool if God indeed showed you. But here's Daniel saying, Can you believe it? I, even I, Daniel. It's a Chinese proverb that says, great men never know that they're great. Moses was like that.
When God called him at the burning bush, he said, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh? and then I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. The first king of Israel, King Saul, started out humble. When he was chosen, He said, but am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel? And is not my clan the least of all the clans in the tribe of Benjamin?
When David became king, he said, Who am I, O sovereign Lord, and what is my family that you have brought me? This far. And finally, there's Paul the Apostle. Who knew what he used to be before he came to Christ and never Let go of that memory. And Paul wrote these words: Unto me, the one who is less than the least of all the saints, is this great.
or grace given.
So, a great person is one who bows before a great God. That's humility. A second characteristic that made Daniel great was not only humility, but singularity. He was a Person with a one-track mind. When he was young, if you remember in chapter one, it says, He purposed in his heart, he made a decision.
He purposed in his heart not to defile himself with a portion of the king's food. And in virtually every situation, Daniel pointed up. to God. When he stood before Nebuchadnezzar, when he stood before Belshazzar, when he stood before Darius the Maid, he pointed up. to God.
He had a one-track mind. You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before we return to today's teaching, let me ask. Are we living in the last days? With uncertainty, conflict, and moral confusion dominating the headlines, it's a question many believers are asking.
Pastor Skip wants to help you understand what God's Word says about the end times so you can face the future with confidence. That's why this month we're offering two timely resources: his 2 CD teaching from Daniel, Bible from 30,000 feet. and his booklet, Are We Living in the Last Days? These will give you a clear biblical perspective on what's happening in the world and how to be ready for what's ahead. Request your copies when you give a gift of $25 or more at connectwithgift.com/slash offer.
or call 800-922. 1888.
Now let's get back to today's teaching.
So a great person is one who bows before God and one who points toward God. He's humble before God, but he points others. toward God. A third thing that made Daniel great. It was not only humility, not only singularity.
But consistency. He was consistent over time. What he was as a youth, he continued to be all the way through this scripture. In that incident I just mentioned in Daniel chapter 5, when Daniel was not brought in to the court with the rest of the wise men of Babylon, finally, The Queen Mother after The king Belshazzar was so shaken by what he had seen, he said, Bring Daniel in. She said, Bring Daniel in.
For she said, In that man is an excellent spirit, and he was the guy who in times past made all these things known. To your father the king. Chapter six. Daniel is described as one who distinguished himself regularly or consistently.
So, a great person is one who bows before God, points toward God. and one who is faithful to God. over time. True story. There were two brothers having a discussion after their Sunday school class.
They were in Scotland. And they were discussing their life's goal. The first brother said that he wanted to be rich and famous. The second brother said his goal was to follow Christ to the fullest. That second brother achieved his goal.
He was the famous David Livingstone. the missionary medical doctor and explorer of the continent of Africa. His brother became rich. But his fame was not due to his wealth, but to the fact that he was David Livingstone's brother. When John Livingstone died, on his grave were written these words: Here lies John Livingstone, the brother of David Livingstone.
He was remarkable. David Livingstone, above average, above normal. He was a great man. Because he was humble. Spiritual.
and faithful. That's greatness. Would you rather be king of the mountain for a day? or the child of God for eternity.
Now listen, parents. When you have children and you see and you dedicate those little children, and you think, I want this child to be great. What do you have in mind? How do you define greatness? I know grades are important.
We make a big deal out of grades. Johnny, you made a C, you need to make at least a B. You have it in you to make an A, but you at least have to make a B.
Okay, grades are important. But are they that important? Um Excelling in that sport, you wanted to be really notable in that sport. Hey, listen. Build within your children.
The goal of them being a great person in these terms: the greatness of Daniel: humble, spiritual, faithful, humble, spiritual, faithful, humble, spiritual, faithful. If they get a C minus, but they're humble, spiritual, faithful. If they don't get picked for the team, but they're humble, spiritual, faithful. You have a great child. A prophet named Daniel, he was great.
Let's look at a second person in our text. Not named, but inferred, and you'll see what I mean in the first Few verses. Persian named Cyrus. In the third year, verse 1, of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me, to me, Daniel. after one that appeared to me the first time.
I saw in the vision And it so happened while I was looking that I was in Shushan, the citadel, or Susa, the palace, some translations say. which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision that I was by the river Eulai.
Now get this. I lifted up my eyes and saw 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. 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. Yeah. Another wild weird Wacky vision. Right.
Think, did this guy have like a Babylonian burrito the night before? Daniel had this in chapter 7. He has it now in chapter 8. And it's like these things just get weirder with each vision.
Now, I will say that I've also had weird, wild, wacky visions, but. That was before Christ, and it wasn't inspired by the Spirit of the Lord, but by another substance. That's a whole nother story. that I was delivered from. This is the revelation of God.
And I find it fascinating that God revealed himself sometimes through dreams, sometimes through visions. And if you get the picture of. But biblical author is sitting in a room, a dark, cold, dim room with the candle, and they're just sort of taking dictation as God's voice is coming through the walls. You've got it wrong.
Sometimes they wrote poetry, sometimes narrative, and sometimes they saw an animation before them. Like this wild cartoon of these beasts or animals, where one thing represented something else. First of all, in his vision, he is not where he is in person. In person, he's in Babylon. In the vision, he is transported 350 miles to the east.
In the headquarters of the Medo-Persian Empire, where Cyrus the Great. was setting up his kingdom. It says Shushan, the citadel. He sees in the vision a ram with two horns. What's odd about these horns is they don't grow up simultaneously, but one grows up.
Then a second grows up. And it's much More notable, it's taller, it's bigger than the other.
So This is like a ram with an attitude. that he sees. This ferocious ram. Rambo. Just want to see if you're awake.
Why a ram? Because the ram was the animal that depicted the Medo-Persian Empire, just like the eagle is the. Bird that has been chosen to represent the United States of America or for Great Britain, a lion or a bear for the Soviet Republic in times past. The ram. What was on the coins of The Persian Empire.
The ancient coins have a head of a ram on one side, a recumbent ram on the other. The king of Persia would often wear as the crown uh A gold jewel-studded head of a ram. The armies marched with the banner of a ram. on their banners above them and on the shields that they wore.
So Like The two horns, the Medo-Persian Empire, would come in two parts. Media And Persia. Media came first and it was a significant power. Persia was an insignificant power at the time that Daniel was writing, but it was growing, growing, growing. In notoriety.
And it was Cyrus the Great, he was called, and his son Cambyses II, who brought a Medo-Persian coalition.
So that the second part of the empire, the Persian Empire, grew in strength bigger, and by this coalition, They became a world governing power that was the biggest to that date. They had an interesting strategy, history tells us. According to history, they first marched westward And took Babylon and Mesopotamia, Syria, Asia Minor, including Macedonia. Then they marched Northward and conquered Colchis where the Region of ancient Georgia and the Soviet Republic, Armenia, Iberia, and the lands around the Caspian Sea. And then they conquered southward, seizing the Levant, Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia.
Their armies were so large, the historians tell us, that no single nation. nor a coalition of nations could stop them. Daniel sees all that. Question, how could Daniel know that? That's the whole point.
He couldn't know that. This wasn't some Food-induced vision. This was a revelation of God. God was telling him what is going to happen.
Now, notice verse 4. Notice a word in verse 4. I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, 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.
He became great. The Medo-Persian kingdom was great. Cyrus was Cyrus the great. The word Gadal is the Hebrew word. It means to grow, to become important, to do great things, or to magnify himself.
Yes, Cyrus would make it. In Time Magazine's Top 10 Most Influential People List. He was great. But you know, the problem is when you're great. As an emperor, There's always somebody greater around the corner.
There's always somebody ready to take your great spot. And Cyrus would learn that the powers that be will someday become the powers that have been. Even Solomon, great King Solomon, said in his writings, the book of Ecclesiastes: I have attained unto greatness. But as soon as he wrote that, he said, yet all of this is grasping for the wind. Grasping for the wind.
It's empty. My greatness is so short-lived. Jesus said, What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world but? loses his own soul. Daniel was great.
Cyrus thought he was great. But somebody greater was right around the corner. Verse 5 tells us. 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.
Then he came to the ram that had the two horns, which I saw standing beside the river. and ran at him with furious power. 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. Therefore, the male goat Grew very, there's the word again, great. But when he became strong, The large horn was broken. And in place of it, four notable ones came up toward the fore.
winds of heaven. Thanks for listening to Connect with Skip Heidzig. Before you go, don't miss your chance to request this month's featured resources from Pastor Skip. The Bible from 30,000 feet 2 CD teaching from Daniel, and his booklet, Are We Living in the Last Days? Together, they'll help you understand what the Bible says about the future and how to be ready for it.
These resources are our thanks for your gift of $25 or more to help share God's word with more people. Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskip.com slash offer. And while you're there, sign up for the free 30K 30-day challenge to grow in your knowledge of God's Word. Thanks for spending time with us today, and we'll see you next time on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Make a connection.
Make a connection. Connect with Gif Heitzig is a presentation of connection communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
