Dr. M.J. du Plessis Reformed Church, Bellville: Sunday 14 November 2003, Morning Service

Reformed Church, Bellville: Sunday 14 November 2003, Morning Service

Our help is in the Name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. Beloved, grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ through the mighty working of God the Holy Spirit. Amen

Psalm of praise: 47:1+4
Confession of faith
Commandments
Psalm: 99:4 & 5
Prayer
Psalm: 93:1
Scripture reading: Daniel 8

Text: Daniel 8:14

"... then the sanctuary will be consecrated."

In the past there were occurrences which accurately predicted events which will occur at the end of time because they occurred exactly as they will occur again at the end of time.

Let us consider this vision as seen by Daniel in order that we may learn from it what the Lord predicts for the faithful of the last days.
We consider the Lord's grace and the movements of nations.
But we also consider the mistakes of the church in these events.

Let us do so under the following headings:

1.The first empire rules the world.
2.The advent of the second empire.
3.The arrival of the true empire.

1.The first empire rules the world

In this vision Daniel found himself in the citadel of Susa and there he saw an event that explained history from his time onwards to the arrival of the kingdom of the Lord. Among others he saw in this vision how the Greeks would later defeat the Persians in a bloody battle at the exact place where he found himself.

It is interesting that Daniel wrote the first chapters of his book, up to chapter 7, in Aramaic. That was the lingua franca of that time. (It was also Jesus Christ's mother tongue.) As from chapter 8 onwards he wrote in Hebrew.

This was not without reason - Hebrew was to the Jews in those days a holy language, accordingly he writes that which is of particular importance to the faithful in Hebrew.
The first part of his book concerns the whole world. Hence he writes it in the language of the world - Aramaic.
But as from chapter 8 the book of Daniel concerns particularly the church of the Lord.

What did Daniel see that so particularly concerns the church/people of the Covenant? Daniel saw empires represented by animals.

These animal symbols were derived from Babylonian astrology.
According to that symbolism each empire was represented by an animal - Persia by a ram, Greece by a goat and Syria by an Ibex.

Daniel saw a ram which overran everything.

According to the explanation given to Daniel the ram symbolized Persia (v20).
The ram also symbolizes power and dominion because at that time the Persians ruled the world.
This ram had two horns, the one longer than the other.

The difference in length represents the difference in the power of the two kingdoms which made up the empire of the Medes and the Persians.
The Persian kingdom came after that of the Medes but it was the more powerful of the two empires.

When Daniel saw the vision it represented the then existing situation but the Lord revealed to him how this would change.

2.The advent of the second empire

Thereafter the goat appeared from the West. This goat is also depicted mythologically.

This goat had only one horn between the eyes. In those days the unicorn was believed to be a legendary animal with wonderful powers.
It charged the ram at such speed that it appeared not to touch the ground.
The goat overthrew the ram. But it did not enjoy its reign very long. It died and four rulers took its place.

Up to this point the vision is not difficult to understand. It is a revelation of how the future would unfold in that part of the world. Now, after the events, we know that it happened exactly as foretold.

The vision foretold Alexander the Great. He was one of the greatest conquerors of all time.
Even to this day his campaigns and victories are admired.
Between 334 and 323 BC Alexander conducted his campaign in the Persian empire.

The Lord also revealed to Daniel how Alexander the Great would conquer the Persian empire.

The goat charged the ram and broke both its horns. The conflict Daniel saw was the battle between Alexander and the Persian king Darius III Codomanus.
In that battle the Persians were conclusively defeated and was Alexander the undisputed ruler of all people.

Alexander the Great died at a youthful age. He was about 33 when he died at Babylon after having conquered the whole of the then known world. He did not reign long - exactly as it was revealed to Daniel. Alexander's empire was divided between his generals forming four new empires - Macedonia, Thrace, Syria and Egypt.

The vision then reaches a point where it affects us too.

Out of one of the four horns came another horn.
This ruler was very clever and powerful and arrogant.
He did much wrong because in his arrogance he dared to challenge the Lord.
He replaced the true faith with a false worship.

This new and mighty ruler was the Syrian king Antioch IV Epifanes. He expanded his empire towards the east and incorporated Palestine. The Bible calls it here "The Beautiful Land". (v9)

You may now ask - How does this concern us? The answer is to be found in verses 9 and 10.

Here the connection is made between the Lord's people of the covenant and the heavenly host. We are part of the people of the covenant.
Hence this revelation of history also applies to the church of the future - us.
This king's aggression was in essence a war against the church of the Lord and against the Lord Himself.

The Bible tells us that this king, Antioch IV Epifanes, became so mighty that he dared to challenge the heavenly host and that he threw some of the starry host down to earth and trampled on them. (v10)

Here Antiochus IV Epifanes is shown to be the embodiment of an anti-godly power directing the events.
On the one plane it was a war by one person against the people of the Covenant. On another plane a more important war was being fought.
The driving force behind it all was Satan and his cohorts who through this man was attacking God's throne.

The Lord shows how terribly arrogant this Antioch IV was and how he rebelled against the Lord's authority.

He designedly persecuted the faithful and he desecrated the worship of the Lord.
In all his conduct he was anti-God.
It is shown how this man challenged God Himself.

He prohibited the daily offerings - in that way he tried to stop all worship of and honour to God.
In this way he tried to cut the relationship between God and His people.
He thought he could force the Lord into exile.

He destroyed the temple and in the place of the service to God he introduced a sinful service.

Antioch IV believed that in this way he could trample on God and His Host.

One would have hoped that his plans would be foiled so that he could not do so much damage. But the Lord reveals the opposite. This human devil is successful in the execution of his designs.

The care the Lord takes to ensure that Daniel fully understands this vision is shown clearly. There are two angels speaking to each other:

The one is unknown but he commands the other one named Gabriel to explain the vision to Daniel.
This is the first time in the Bible that the name of an angel is given. We read of this angel, Gabriel, again later on.
In the explanation as given by Gabriel there are historical aspects as well as futuristic aspects.
It deals with matters beyond the normal. It is as if heaven were drawn into the events occurring on earth.

The world becomes so antagonistic towards the faithful that they can no longer live. Then the Lord steps in.

The Lord shows that He lives in heaven but that events occurring on earth are not detached from that which occurs in heaven.
He is the God of heaven and earth. No power outside the dominion of God is able to rule on earth.

We read in verse 13 that the angels ask: "How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled?" This is a question typical of the apocalypse.

It usually concerns the persecution and suffering of the faithful (see Psalms 6:4; 80:15; 90:13 and Isaiah 6:11, Habakuk 2:6).
With it the Lord indicates that that time will be a period of deep suffering for the faithful.

3.The arrival of the true kingdom

The fearful sin that the entire worship and all the sacrifices to the Lord were taken away and the sanctuary was desecrated will be corrected by the Lord Himself. This will occur after 2300 evenings and mornings.

Nobody knows how this figure is made up. But the meaning of it is clear and that is what counts.

There is a determined time when the Lord will perfectly restore the worship of Him.
There is also a fixed time when the Lord Himself will rise against the persecution and suffering of the faithful (compare the Lord answering Israel's prayers in Egypt and punishing Pharao).

The angel told Daniel when the Lord's wrath would erupt. God is wrathful towards sin. The sin of His enemies and the sin of His people.

When the Lord is wrathful He uses other nations as a means of disciplining His people and this will run to into the last days.
-hat Daniel experienced was so terrible that he could not bear it. The reason why it is mentioned in the Bible is to show that the things that will happen to the last group of people are greatly disturbing.
-aniel could not bear it. That is why the Lord told him to keep it secret.

In this revelation the Bible uses the peculiar expression "the time of the end". (v17)

This has the same meaning as "the last days".
It indicates that a different dispensation is to come which will be completely different from the present.
In that time judgment will be executed over the enemies of God's people of the covenant.
At the same time the people of the covenant will be restored and the Messianic period will commence.

This is where this prophecy concerns us. At the end of time everything dear to the faithfull will be taken from them.

All our suffering will turn on our faith.
The significance of Antioch IV Epifanes is that with him the Lord shows that the rulers in the last days will be like him. They will turn the Lord's temples into places of idolatry and we shall be compelled to bring sacrifices to the idols.

We must stand fast, because it is possible that this persecution and rebellion against God can occur in our time.

It is important that we should look back into the past and see that as this prophecy was partly fulfilled then, the Lord's protecting hand was always over the faithful. With us it will be likewise.
What is especially important to note is that this ram and this goat as seen by Daniel did not overrun the people of the Covenant without reason.

Their sin caused the Lord to dispose that these heathen nations should punish them.
In the last days it will be no different. There will be so few believers that for their sake the Lord will shorten the last days.

These empires that will oppress the Christians will be good governments to the rest of te world. They will only be against the faithful because they serve the Lord because the Lord reveals here that these powes will attack even the stars of the host of heaven and will trample them in their attempt to destroy the King of the host, that is God Himself.

It is important to remember that these powers are nothing extraordinary.
They can trample us but God Himself will reconsecrate His sanctuary - whether these people wish it or not.
He has already started to do so.

This occurred with the birth and death of Jesus Christ. Read in Revelation 12 how the powers of hell set out to kill Jesus at His birth.
John sees how the dragon tries to kill the woman and her child. But he cannot do so because God took the woman and her child away without Satan being able to prevent it.
On how many occasions did the devils not beg Jesus not to torture them before the appointed time (cf Matthew 8:29).

They know that a day will come when the Lord will reconsecrate His sanctuary - as it was revealed to Daniel.
And on that day the devils will suffer because without the aid of man they will be destroyed by God's might.

The day of Judgement will be easy for God because on the cross Jesus revealed that He could enter death by His own will without the devil being able to force Him into it as he can with us. Jesus Himself determined the moment of His death.

With His resurrection Jesus did the same. He returned from death without the devil being able to prevent it.
With it the Lord destroyed the devil. At the Ascension the devil again tried to prevent it but Michael and his angels drove the devil off.

When Jesus returns on the clouds, God's sanctuary is reconsecrated. (Daniel's words). This is putting it mildly because then the kingdom of God arrives.

In the final persecution there is much grace, because in it God shows us a little bit of hell so that we shall not desire to be there. At the same time it puts the contrast between it and what we shall know when we enter God's glory so much sharper.

Accordingly we must take heart and live joyfully, notwithstanding that the world shows many evils and traits unacceptable to us. Take heart, because history has shown us that the Lord strengthens His hand for the protection of the faithful and that at the hour fixed by Him He will end all these worldly troubles and let us enter His glorified sanctuary.

Amen

Closing Prayer
Closing Psalm: 136:2

The Lord will bless you and keep you. The Lord will make His face shine on you and be gracious unto you. The Lord will lift His countenance over you and give you peace.

Amen

Dr MJ du Plessis
Reformed Church Bellville
14 December 2003
Quotation from NIV