In a continuing effort to bring
insights and understanding to the prophetic Scriptures these blogs are posted
regularly at Word Press and will also be available for reading at my Web site
theseprophets.blogspot.com . They are small fragments of the bigger prophetic
picture which can be much more thoroughly reviewed by reading my two titles: These
Prophets and the Revelation and The Israel Deception. The purpose of the books is to bring
a comprehensive understanding of Biblical prophecy into the grasp of people who
profess to embrace the validity and truths of the Bible and to make them aware
of the very ominous developments taking place in today’s world.
One very important
identification which is not likely understood by many is the emergence of the
little horn introduced and examined in the text of Daniel 8:9-12. Let us take time to explore the passage
contained in the vision given to Daniel.
Other related Scripture passages help to bring some important truths
into focus. The overall context of the eighth chapter of Daniel is to bring
into view a reviewing of the earthly empires from Daniel’s time; but projecting
us to “at the time of the end shall be
the vision” (vs.17). Daniel’s life
and prophecies took place during the time of the Babylonian Empire (captivity)
so that is the initial reference point. In earlier verses of the chapter we see
the progressive emergence of successive kingdoms including the Medio-Persian
Empire and the kingdom of Greece established by Alexander the Great. We also see emerging from the division of
Alexander’s kingdom after his death “…..four
notable ones towards the four winds of heaven ” (Dan.8:8). This represents the division of the kingdom at
that time among his four major generals and we are carried forth in time out of
that geographical division to the time of the end for from it we observe “out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed great toward the
south and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.” (vs.9) Two things need to be understood at this
point: first the geographical location takes us into the land which was
historically Israel. (i.e. the pleasant land)
Secondly, we need to define and then identify the horn. The term in Scripture represents a king,
potentate, or politically a kingdom or nation as a symbol of strength, power,
might and as an image being drawn from the horns of a bull or ram (Wilson’s Old
Testament Word Studies). With that we will state unequivocally that the horn
has a twofold representation in application at the end of the age. First, it is
embodied in a person whom the Scriptures elsewhere identify as the
Antichrist. And secondly that person
comes to embody and represent the nation of Israel as it is manifest at the “time of the end”. Within the text we further see that the horn “waxed great, even to the host (the saints)
of heaven and it cast down some of the
host and of the stars to the ground stamped upon them.”(vs10) Looking
at some parallel Scriptures consider Daniel 7:8. “…there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up
by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were the eyes like the eye of a man,
and a mouth speaking great things.” At Revelation 12:4 we read in part: “And his tail (that of the dragon) drew the
third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth……” The stars symbolically represent” the
host”, i.e. the saints which are destined to endure the time of great
tribulation which is to come upon the earth.
The Antichrist is to be reveled just prior
to the time of this great tribulation (3 ½ years in duration of time). The church (i.e. the saints) must be prepared
to endure the persecution and martyrdom executed by the Antichrist and the unbelieving
world at large although there will be a faithful remnant caught to the throne
at that time, i.e. “the manchild” of
Revelation 12:5 The Antichrist will be a Jew and manifest himself as the Jewish
messiah, but also as the savior of the whole world. (See Daniel 11:36-37). He
is the “little horn” of the texts in Daniel chapters seven and eight. He
will represent himself as the savior of
Israel through great signs, wonders and deceptions. The world at large will
believe that he is the true messiah “ and the world wondered after the beast”
(Rev.13:3) The vast majority of the evangelical
Christian world lies in the deception
that the Jews are God’s “chosen people” and so they are ripe to be beguiled by
the false messiah (the Antichrist). The
eschatology of evangelical dispensationalism will lead you into false
conclusions. There are many things in the prophetic
Scriptures which are hard to be understood, and to avoid the deception each one
must come to understand the truth. You must prepare yourself with wisdom and
understanding. Take the initiative to
have all of these things explained by obtaining and reading my two titles
mentioned above which are available at Amazon.ccom., Barnes and Noble and other major book
sellers.
David Lance Dean
theseprophets@gmail.com or
Web site: these prophets.blogspot.com
davidlancedean.com
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