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Now, here's today's message from Pastor Skip. People aren't shocked anymore. Those are the words of a law enforcement officer, a federal law enforcement officer, after 30 years. of law enforcement experience he made that Bold statement. People aren't.
shocked anymore. How we respond to what we see, what's around us, tells a lot about us. What causes you to cringe? What moves you or motivates you? or shocks you.
When I was in junior high school, just finishing junior high school, there was a A book that was very popular called Future Shock by Alvin Toffler. And he coined a phrase that everybody knows these days, but he coined the phrase: information overload. He also called it infobesity. Isn't that a great term? Infobesity.
Too much information. According to Toffler, too much information hinders our ability to make clear. cogent decisions. that the input exceeds our capacity. Information overload.
Boy, we have that these days in spades, don't we? Information overload. But there's something far worse than information overload. And that is emotion. Overload.
Exposure to pain and sorrow, all the visuals that we have today, we can see the suffering of humanity in one day. I mean, you can only see so many starving babies, so many wounded people.
So many violent games. Where after a while the emotional response that should be there It's like, eh. Information overload, emotion overload. Many studies have been done. One brain study Studying Teenagers who are exposed to Violent streaming videos over time, they lose their capability.
to have an appropriate emotion.
Now we're dealing with the book of Daniel and Daniel, he had no television. He couldn't go down to the Babylonian theater and watch the latest movie. He didn't have the internet. He didn't have Instagram at Daniel the prophet. He didn't have that.
Didn't have Twitter, didn't have any of that stuff. But what he had was real life. And In the midst of his real life, a vision from God. God revealed the future to him in a vision. And what he saw absolutely shocked him.
To the core.
So we're going to consider in Daniel chapter 8. What he saw What it means or what it meant. And what he felt. The vision The interpretation. And the reaction.
Now, I want to refresh your memory so we don't lose you here in the book of Daniel. The book of Daniel has been about primarily four kingdoms that. We're from Daniel's time up until the coming of Jesus Christ in the future. Four world governing empires. Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, and then the reconstituted Roman Empire at the end of days.
So, in chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar saw this vision. that you see now on your screen. This is the polymetallic image, the head of gold. Chest and arms of silver, stomach and thighs of bronze, brass. Legs of iron, feet of iron, and clay.
That's what Nebuchadnezzar saw, and that represented those empires: Babylon. Medo-Persia, Greece. Rome. In chapter 7, Daniel saw the same revelation, but With different motif. He didn't see a polymetallic image, he saw four ravenous beasts come up out of the sea.
A winged lion, a lopsided bear with three ribs in its mouth. a leopard with four wings, and then this nondescript, terrible, horrible beast that was worse than all the others. That's what Daniel saw, but it's the same truth. Babylon. Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.
Now we get to chapter 8. Chapter 8 takes the two middle kingdoms, Neo-Persia and Greece, and highlights them. And what Daniel sees is different motif altogether. About those two coming empires, one is of a ram and one is of a goat with a notable horn that takes over. The Ram.
Here's the question, why? Why is God giving to Daniel this revelation about these two kingdoms? Primarily because there is coming out of the Grecian Empire. A couple of rulers, especially the second ruler, who's going to be so bad in the way he treats the Jewish people and desecrates the temple and defies God, that he's going to be a lot like. The one coming in the very end of days that we've already discussed, the Antichrist.
He's a prototype of the Antichrist.
Now let's just push the pause button for a second. I want to give to you. Tools. Three things to put in your toolbox. Whenever you study prophecy, remember these things.
Number one, Verb tense. Don't worry, this is not going to be an English lesson. Those days for you are over. But verb tense is important. Here's what I mean.
Sometimes God uses the past tense to describe a future event. Classic example is Isaiah 53, which talks about the coming of the Messiah and his suffering. He was wounded for our transgression. He was bruised for our iniquity. The chastisement for our peace was upon him.
That's all past tense, but it hadn't happened yet when he wrote it. You go, why does God do that? Because God is so sure it's going to happen that to Him, it's done. Verb tense. Number two, perspective.
Remember perspective whenever we study prophecy. The perspective of the prophets is what we called a couple of weeks ago, if you remember in our Isaiah 61 study.
something called prophetic foreshortening. That is, the prophets talked about coming events. But they couldn't. delineate between the sequence of the events nor the time that elapsed between those events. In the illustration we gave you, it's like looking at a mountain range from a distance.
It all looks like one solid unit. The closer you get to it, however, you see there are various peaks with valleys in between.
So remember Verb tense. When you study prophecy, remember. perspective. And a third is types. Types.
There are types in the Bible. That is, one event or one person becomes a type. Or a shadow or a picture or a model of something that will be like it, but in a different, greater way later on. Classic example, the Passover. where they took a lamb and put the blood on the lintels on the doorpost of the house.
Would become a type of what would happen years later when God's Lamb. Jesus Christ was slain on Calvary's cross. And here we have a type. Actually, we have all of these three incorporated in this study on prophecy. We have a Grecian king who will come and be a prototype.
of the Antichrist. When Daniel understands and sees this, he is shocked.
Now Unpush the pause button. And let's look at the scripture. The vision, the interpretation, and the reaction. This is what he saw, verse 8. Let's just jump right in there.
Therefore, I know it's bad to jump right in the middle, but I'm supposing you were here in our last study. Therefore, The male goat grew very great. But when he became strong, the large horn was broken. And in its place, four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. 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.
Some translations say the glorious land of Israel. That's what he's talking about. 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. 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. 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. 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.
And he said to me, For 2000. three hundred days. Then the sanctuary shall be cleansed. Boy, one thing's for sure: there are more horns in the book of Daniel than in an orchestra pit, right? But we know what it means.
It means authority and strength. It typically refers to a king that is coming.
So here's the vision Daniel sees. He sees a ram. Come strong. And he conquers the known world. The Medo-Persian Empire.
But then he sees coming from the west this goat. I call the last time turbo goat. He moved so swiftly from west to the east, his feet didn't even touch the ground. And with The notable horn, which we see is the first king of the Grecian Empire, as told in this vision. He defeats the Ram.
But the horn The king is broken. And in its place, as we read, four horns come. in its place. One has a little horn that grows up from it.
Now this little horn in chapter 8 is a type Of the little horn that will come in the end of time, already discussed in chapter 7: the Antichrist. One is a type of the other. This is Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before Pastor Skip continues, check out this special resource for your family this Christmas. Here's Nate Heitzig.
Teaching my kids about Jesus is one of the greatest privileges of my life. And I wanted to create a book that connects the story of Christmas and Easter in a way that kids, parents, and grandparents will truly cherish. In Christmas Under the Tree, you and your family can experience God's love seen through a unique perspective. And my hope is that this story becomes a treasured family tradition for years to come. Request your illustrated book and audio experience at connectwithskip.com slash offer with your gift of $25 or more to Connect with Skiff Heitzig.
Again, that's connectwithskip.com slash offer. or call 800-922-1888. Let's return now to today's message. When I was a kid, my dad used to be a home builder and a real estate guy. And when he had a good idea, whenever he would build homes, he would build a model home, and I mean a little model home, about that big.
And it had a roof that you could like retract, you just like lift off. And he'd love to, we'd love to like go in his study and take the roof off. And he did that so that he could let the roof off and let prospective buyers. See how that home in three dimensions. works and and the layout of it and how one room communicates with another room.
Chapter eight is the model. Historically, to the prophetic house of the Antichrist that is coming. in the future. And the primary reason, there are several, but the primary reason God is giving this information through Daniel to the Jewish people in particular. Is so that they will not be deceived when false prophets come their way in the future.
And by the way, Jewish history is littered with false messiahs. But especially so that they won't be deceived at the very end of days. by the Antichrist. This last year, I was on a tour of the Holy Land with some of you. And uh we we took a trip in the journeys of Paul to the port city of Ephesus, where sp Paul spent several years.
And I was with my tour guide from Israel. And he said, Skip, I want to take you to my favorite store. in this port city, Kusadasi, which is part of Ephesus. And so I said, okay, David, what is that? It's a shop where they sell fake watches.
And I mean, you can't tell the difference between the real ones, these famous ones, and these fake ones.
So I thought, well, I don't know if that's cool or not. I mean, that's sort of like a bad industry. But sure enough, we're walking down the street and we see a huge sign. in the middle of broad daylight that says fake watches sold here.
So I go inside. And I'm looking at these watches, and I happen to be with a guy who has a real one of these watches I'm looking at. He couldn't tell the difference. It was an exact replica, front and back, movement and all. But you know how you could tell if it was fake?
You look inside. Give that to a jeweler and he'll go, this is a fake watch. She would never know it by looking at it. Jesus said, Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. And he said, many are going to come.
And so, to prohibit that and to help them spot the ultimate fake watch that is coming. At the end of days, This chapter is given.
Now, before we read any further into the interpretation of this, There's a principle I want you to be aware of here that's just sort of highlighted by this chapter. Here's the principle. God likes to reveal stuff. I'm not getting any ooze and ahs out of you because you're thinking that's not all that profound. God likes to reveal stuff.
But follow me here. God Reveals Himself, he reveals truth to humanity. He wants us to have information. He does it in two ways. He does it in creation.
We call that general revelation. The heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament shows his handiwork. The second is called Creation. Special revelation. The same Psalm says, the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.
In the world and by the word. Those two places God reveals himself. To humanity he reveals the truth. You say, okay. I know that.
So what? Here's the so what. No one can plead ignorance any longer. Even the world. Even an unbeliever, God says in Romans chapter 1, God has revealed himself in creation so that they are without what?
Excuse, they have no excuse. God has given enough information just in the world He created for people to wake up, look around, smell the flowers, and go, Something, someone must have made this. They're without excuse. God reveals himself. In the world and by the word.
Take it a step further. We live in a day and age. Where anybody who's interested at all in spiritual truth can find it. Virtually every biblical resource you can get for free just about on the internet. Any historical data, any information, any Bible commentary?
So, the problem is not lack of information. If people are unaware. One of three things is going on. Number one, Laziness. Number two, indifference.
Yeah, whatever. Number three, they just flat don't want to hear it.
Now what I've always been concerned with Is this incredible spiritual illiteracy? Among Christians. Listen to this. Only 19% of Protestants know that salvation comes through faith alone, not by works. That's shocking.
45% of Protestants, 45% Can't name the four gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Now, people in my generation still think it's John, Paul, George, and Ringo. A different fab for Only 55% of Protestants know that the golden rule is not one of the Ten Commandments. A married couple came in to see an Episcopal pastor. True story. They had a teenage son, and they had a list of questions their son wanted answered.
So they made an appointment with the pastor. First question on the list that their son wanted to know: here's the question: What's that guy doing hanging up there on that plus sign? And these are churches. people. These are church people.
God wants to reveal Himself. The question is, how? How eager are we to get the revelation? I'll ask a fundamental question, boil it down to its irreducible minimum. Do you expose yourself?
to what God reveals. as much as you expose yourself to what the world dishes out. That's the question. God's all about revealing himself. Are we eager to receive it?
So that's the vision. God reveals. Let's look at what it means, the interpretation. Verse 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. And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, that's the river in the vision.
Who called and said, Gabriel? Make this man understand the vision.
So, how cool is this? Mm. The angel Gabriel comes and gives him the meaning of it.
So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was afraid and fell on my face. Ouch. But he said to me, Understand, son of man. that the vision refers to the time of the end.
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. 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. The ram which you saw having two horns, They are the kings of Media and Persia.
And the male goat Is the kingdom Of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. That's Alexander the Great. As for the broken horn and the four that stood in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power. And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king shall arise, having fierce features who understand sinister schemes.
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. 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. That he shall be broken without human means. And the vision. of the evenings and mornings, those 2,300 days, Which was told is true.
Therefore seal up the vision, for it refers to many days In the future.
So, Daniel gets help by heavenly interpreters. They tell him what this is all about. That large horn, that's the first king of Greece. The horn is broken. That's Alexander the Great.
We discussed that last time. The horn was broken. On June the 10th, three twenty three B C When Alexander the Great died Yeah. in Babylon at age thirty three. When he was on his deathbed, People around him said, What are we going to do with your kingdom?
He said, give it to the strong. Didn't give him any information, didn't say who the strong, how many the strong, how the strong. Just said, give it to the strong, and then boop, he's dead.
So there was an argument until finally they settled it, and it was divided into four sections. Four sections, four horns. His four generals took his kingdom. Cassandra Lithimachus. Ptolemy and Seleucus.
I'm not speaking in tongues, those are the names of his four generals. And they divided up the kingdom.
So Cassander takes Greece and Macedonia. The kingdom of Alexander and his father originally. Lesimachus takes Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey. and the ancient Thracian Empire. Ptolemy takes Egypt down south.
North Africa and Arabia. And Seleucus takes Syria and Babylonia, what is north and east of Israel.
So they're divided up. Four horns. For generals, Now four kingdoms. four dynasties for years to come that rule. But in verse 9, we're told about a small horn that grows up out of one of these horns.
In verses 23 through 26, we're told about his personality, his persecution of the Jews, etc. Almost universal agreement, scholars agree that This little horn refers to somebody called Antiochus. The fourth. Antiochus IV. He was the eighth in line of the Seleucid kings who reigned from 175 BC to 164 BC.
That little horn Antiochus becomes a model Of the nitwit Antichrist who will come at the end of time. Let me give you just a little brief history perspective. Alexander the Great had a dream to unify the world. Not a wonderful dream. We are the world.
He's the first guy that thought that out. He wanted to bring all the world together in unity. by making everybody just like him.
Sort of like every one of us. There'll be unity in this house if you think just like I think. Except he did that worldwide. He wanted to make everybody Greek-speaking and Greek cultured, Hellenize them. He failed.
He died at age 33. His four generals tried Seleucus the Syrian In particular, his fourth general, He failed. But as I mentioned, that eighth king in the Seleucid dynasty named Antiochus IV. succeeded In unifying the world against the Romans that were trying to push in, who eventually would take over. We're so glad you joined Connect with Skiff Heitzig today.
Don't miss Christmas Under the Tree, a special resource to help your family center on Jesus this season. It's yours when you give $25 or more to help take the gospel to even more listeners through this program and the ministry of Connect with Skip Heitzig. Call 800-922-1888 or go to connectwithskip.com/slash offer. And while you're online, Be sure to sign up for Pastor Skip's weekly email devotional and stay encouraged all year long. Come back next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's Word here on Connect with Gip-Heitzig.
Make a connection. Make a connection at the foot of the crossing. Cast your burdens on his wood. Make a connection. Connection.
Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of connection communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
