At the close of his visions, an angel commanded Daniel “to close the words and seal the book until the season of the end.” In contrast, in Revelation, the “scroll” is unsealed, revealing its contents for all to see. Daniel was told to “seal the scroll,” but John is commanded NOT to do so. The verbal parallels are deliberate and telling.
Continue reading “Unsealing Daniel”
In chapter 7, the timeframe during which the “little horn” is authorized to wage war “against the saints” is described as a “time, times, and part of a time.” At the end of the period, this malevolent ruler will lose his domain. In chapter 8, the angel Gabriel describes it as “the END OF THE INDIGNATION, for at the appointed time will be an end.” However horrific the “desolation” might be, it will not last forever.
Continue reading “The End of the Indignation”
Daniel’s final vision concludes with the description of a period of intense “tribulation” that is about to befall the Jewish nation, one more severe than any preceding trial in its history. There are no chapter divisions in the original document, and contextually, chapter 12 is the continuation of the vision of chapters 10 and 11.
Continue reading “Season of Tribulation”
Beginning with the division of the Greek empire, the angel outlines the coming conflicts between two of the subsequent realms that will culminate in the rise of a “contemptible” ruler. Previously, the rise and division of the Greek empire were portrayed in the vision of the “Ram” and of the “Goat,” representing the realms of the “Medes and Persians” and “Greece,” respectively.
Continue reading “The King of the North”
The introduction to the final vision in chapter 10 did more than just portray an impressive angelic visitation. It provided verbal links to the vision of the “Ram and the Goat” and its interpretation. Now, additional details are presented concerning the demise of Persia, the rise of Greece and its first great king, and its division into four lesser realms.
Continue reading “Persia Stirs Greece”
Insights into Bible Prophecy 