Mon.’s Devo - Daniel’s Vision

Read: Daniel 8:1-27; 1 John 2:1-17; Psalmn 120:1-7; Proverbs 28:25-26 Daniel had another vision that he was at the fortress of Susa, standing beside the Ulai River. Babylon was to his west, Persia to his east and Media to the south. *** He saw a ram with two horns standing beside the river. They represented Media and the longer one, Persia which was the stronger of the two. The longer horn butted everything out of its way. Persian did push westward and captured Babylon, Mesopotamia, Syria, and Asia Minor. It also went northward and captured Armenia, Iberia and those that lived by the Caspian Sea. It went southward and captured Judea, Egypt, Libya, India under Darius. *** In Verse 5, a male goat came swiftly from the west with a huge horn and attacked the ram knocking him down and trampling him. This was Alexander the Great. At the height of his power, he died of a fever at Babylon. His brother and two sons Alexander and Hercules were killed in the next 15 months. Alexander was replaced by four horns: Selucus in the east, Casander in the west, Ptolemy in the south and Lysemachus in the north. *** In Verse 9, a small horn appeared who was Antiochus Epiphanes (an Anti-Christ) whose power reached to the heavens and attacked the heavenly army trampling some of them on the ground. He even challenged Michael by canceling the daily sacrifices on earth and destroying the Temple. The army in heaven was restrained during this time and truth was overcome. The horn was allowed to succeed in everything he did. *** Daniel overheard two of the heavenly angels asking how long this rebellion to stop the sacrifices was going to be allowed to last. The answer was 2,300 evenings (6 years and 110 days). Then the Temple would be made right again. *** Gabriel was told to tell Daniel the meaning of the dream. These were events that would happen at the end of time - in the time of wrath. He explained it to Daniel then Daniel was overcome and so troubled he couldn’t function for a while. When he could get up he was still confused to its meaning. *** In First John, John tells us the intent of his letter. It is so they would not choose to sin. If they did, they have an advocate or lawyer who was Jesus. He is the one who atones for our sins. *** John said, if we claim to know God, then we will show our love for him by obeying his commands. We should live our lives as Jesus did. Moses told us to love one another, so that is not a new commandment. *** We can not walk in the light and have enmity with our neighbors. If we hate others, then we are walking in darkness. Hate blinds us from the truth. Jesus came to save those walking in darkness and show them the light. *** John was not just writing this to the mature, but all God’s children so that they would win their battle against sin. He ended with telling them not to love the world and the things it offers but to love the Lord and all the things he offers which are more unseen than seen. *** Lord, give us eyes to see what the true riches of the kingdom are. They are not tangible but unchanging riches in the heavenlies that don’t wear out, rust or decay. May our lives sow seed into your soil and produce fruit that lasts.