Another Vision – Same History



http://www.esvbible.org/Daniel 8:1-27

Even though the reading is rather confusing and lengthy, please take the time to read it. The words of the Bible are important and you never know what God might spark in your mind and heart and you read them.
 
Being on this side of the book of Daniel, we have the benefit of looking back and seeing that his visions of future historical events were spot on. For Daniel, these were forecasts of what was to come. We can now look back and put names and events to the symbolic pictures he was shown. For today’s reading we are given a vision of the kingdoms of the Medo-Persians and the Greeks. Both of which we have dealt with in the recent past as they were part of other visions.

Why did God bother to show Daniel these things with such accuracy? Why was it important that Daniel be shown to be actually imparting information he had received from God Himself? I believe it is because God also showed Daniel the Advent of the Messiah (during the fourth kingdom, represented by the “Beast” which was Rome) and the Second Coming of the Messiah. Everything that Daniel sees is accurate and for those of us reading these words on this side of history, it can be assumed that God will continue to fulfill what He showed to Daniel. It makes a very detailed “pre-historical” chapter of the Scripture important when held up to all the rest as it once again proves God’s faithful and sovereign control over human affairs. God promised to send a Messiah – He did. Now He promises that the Messiah will return for us and He will! Even in the midst of a history lesson we find the Gospel!

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