Fri.’s Devo - The Last Kingdoms

Read: Daniel 8:1-27; 1 John 2:1-17; Psalm 120:1-7; Proverbs 28:25-26 It was the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign. Daniel was taken in the Spirit to the fortress of Susa which was located beside the Ulai River in the province of Elam. *** He saw a ram with two long horns. One of the horns was longer than the other and with his horns he butted everything to the west, north and south. No one could stand against him or aid his victims. He became very powerful. *** Suddenly a male goat appeared from the west traveling so fast it didn’t touch the ground. With its one horn, it attacked the two-horned ram in a rage. The got broke off both the horns of the ram and knocked him the ground and trampled him. The goat became very powerful. *** In the height of its power, its horn was broken off and four horns grew in its place. They ruled a different direction of the earth. A smaller horn grew from one of these horns and became very great and its power grew toward the south and east and toward the land of Israel. Because of this, war was waged in the heavenlies and this man opposed God himself. He cancelled the daily sacrifices and destroyed the Temple. The army of heaven was restrained from responding. *** Daniel heard two holy ones asking how long this would be allowed to go on and the answer they got was: 2,300 evenings. Then the Temple would be made right again. *** While Daniel was trying to make some sense of this, Gabriel was sent to tell him the interpretation. Daniel lay flat on the ground until Gabriel lifted him to his feet. He explained that the two-horned ram was the kings of Media and Persia. The goat was the king of Greece (Alexander the Great). The large horn was the first king of the Greek Empire. It would break into four kingdoms. *** At the end of their rule, when sin is at its height, a fierce king will rise to power. He will become very powerful and be a master of intrigue and description. He will take on the Prince of princes in battle but will lose. *** This man was Antiochus Epiphanies who was a ruthless hater of God’s people. He sacrificed a pig on God’s altar in Jerusalem and was full of Satan’s power. *** Daniel was to seal up this vision because it would not happen for a long time. Daniel was physically sick after he had this vision. *** John gives us a test to see who loves God. It is those who obey his laws. If we truly love God, we will live as Jesus did. Another test is if a person hates a fellow believer. If he does, he is still walking in darkness. Those who love other believers are walking in the light. ***The third test is a person’s love of the world. The world offers only a craving for physical pleasure and the things we see. To love God above all this is the only way to true salvation and joy. *** Lord, may our affections be for you and your kingdom above all else. Open our eyes to the deception of everything that glitters and shines.