Good Morning Friends,
Daniel received another vision. It’s recorded
in Daniel 8. It’s a vision of a ram with two horns, followed by a goat. The
goat had one horn, then it was broken off and four horns replaced the one. Out
of one of the horns came another horn that started small grew to be very large.
It was a strange vision that Daniel did not understand. In fact, following the
vision, Daniel says, “I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for several days.
Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was appalled by the vision;
it was beyond understanding.” (Daniel 8:27)
From Daniel’s perspective it was a difficult
vision to understand, even with the explanation provided by Gabriel. From our
perspective some of Daniel’s vision becomes clear. As Gabriel said would
happen, the two-horned ram represented the kingdom of Media and Persia. It was replaced
by the kingdom of Greece led by Alexander and represented by the goat. When Alexander
died, his kingdom was divided into four kingdoms. From one of those kingdoms arose
another kingdom that became great and powerful -- the Roman Empire.
Those are the parts that can be easily understood
from this side of history. They show us that God doesn’t just have His hand on
the present, being involved in what is happening now. God has His hand on the
future. He knows what will happen -- and nothing will happen without His permission.
And nothing will happen that will not move the world toward His appointed end.
But parts of Daniel’s vision are still
difficult to understand. The angel declared that they involved the “distant
future.” (Daniel 8:26) They involve the ‘appointed time of the end.” (Daniel
8:17)
Rest assured of this -- there will come a day
when even those difficult to understand parts of this vision will become clear.
For Daniel, the vision presented a time for him to trust, even when he didn’t
understand. If you’re like me there is much about God’s revelation of the
future that presents a time for me to trust Him, even when I don’t understand.
I think that's what God wants from us -- just
to trust Him, even when we don’t understand.
His, by Grace,
Steve
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