Study # 2
January 8, 2023
Broadlands, Louisiana
(Download Audio)
Thesis: The developments in the Kingdom of Greece foreshadow the later developments in the Kingdom of the indescribable beast/the iron kingdom.
Introduction: In our last study we looked at the fact that chapter eight fills in more details of the silver and bronze kingdoms as they are also the bear and leopard kingdoms and are now represented as a ram kingdom and a male goat kingdom. The focus is upon the male goat kingdom and its latter day developments.
- I. The Particulars of the Vision Of The Male Goat Kingdom.
- A. Rooted in Daniel's vision of himself hundreds of years in the future, giving details of things that happened as late as 170 B.C.
- B. Consisting of details of a kingdom presented as a "male goat".
- 1. The breaking up of the male goat kingdom into four (Ptolemy, Casander, Lysimacus, Seleucus).
- 2. The focus upon the latter day development of the kingdom which had its origins in Seleucus.
- a. "A rather small horn" arose out of "one of the four kingdoms".
- b. This "horn" grew exceedingly great toward the south and east and toward "the Beautiful Land".
- c. This "horn" grew up to "The Host of Heaven" and caused some of the Host and some of the stars to fall to the earth (very likely explained in 10:13).
- d. This "horn" magnified itself to be equal to "the Commander of the Host" and removed His sacrifice and the place of His sanctuary.
- e. The losses to the "Host" are permitted because of the sorry moral state of Israel at that time.
- f. The length of time that this will be tolerated is 2300 evenings/mornings.
- C. Some particulars of the vision are interpreted.
- 1. Gabriel was commanded to give Daniel understanding, but Daniel was terrified when he came near.
- 2. Gabriel's terms are "the final period of the indignation" and "the time of the end".
- a. The ram is identified as Medo-Persia.
- b. The shaggy goat is identified as Greece with its first king as the large horn.
- c. The goat then becomes four kingdoms.
- d. In the latter period of those kingdoms, an insolent and powerful king will arise who will be significantly successful.
- e. But after he opposes the Prince of princes, he will be broken and the evenings/mornings prophecy will be fulfilled.
- D. Daniel is sick and astounded.
