Are you someone who likes solving mysteries? When you watch one of those detective shows on TV are you the one whose usually worked it all out before anyone else has? When you come across something like a word or an idea you’ve never understood before, do you reach for Google to find out something more about it? Or Like those cryptic crosswords, where we’re given clues to guess what the word is. Sand Balfour of The guardian Newspaper gives these tips if you want to get better at solving them “…what no one ever tells you is this: the answer is right in front of you – by definition. Every crossword clue contains a definition of the answer you're looking for. All you have to do is find it . .
- Read the clue. Then read it backwards. 2.Think about the rest of the clue. The part of the clue that is not the definition is known as the subsidiary indicator. 3. Harden your heart against the setter's siren charms. 4. Repeat step three. 5. Look at the number of letters. Ten-letter solutions are longer than five-letter solutions. I know it sounds obvious, but it should shape your thinking. A 10-word clue for a three-letter solution should alert you to something.[1]
Sometimes these chapters from Daniel can feel like we’re trying to solve a cryptic crossword about a ram with 2 horns and a goat with one horn between its eyes that charges the ram and tramples it underfoot. This is where we find ourselves this morning in Daniel 8 as Daniel is presented with another vision while seeing the end in sight. We are swept up with these images that are meant to be capturing us as a picture book, not a puzzle book. Daniel 8 grabs our attention about the reality of spiritual warfare. It is not something we will totally figure out or that we will understand all of it. As we read in Daniel 8:1-4
In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had already appeared to me. 2 In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa the province of Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. 4 I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and became great.
Two years have passed since Daniel 7, with the vision then of four beasts causing havoc and chaos over the earth, and over which the ancient of days and one like a son of man put a stop to all the calamity and chaos. Now here two years later on Daniel is awake having another vision. This time Daniel no longer finds himself in Babylon but in the citadel of Susa the province of Elam. Some background, Susa had been sacked by the Babylonian king Assurbanipal. It was rebuilt under the Persian King Darius 1st. Susa was known as a mighty fortress town. It was the winter capital of the Persian empire, the place we read of in Esther & Nehemiah. Daniel 7 was filled with a large overview of the cosmic goings ons[2]. We were swept away by the images of evil and chaos with those seeking to defy God. By these chaotic creatures distorted images of beasts. Now here in Daniel 8 we tighten up the view of just who this protagonist is. We start seeing the end in sight. The judgment and vindication of God is a reminder to us that no matter how dark the days ahead may seem remember Jesus is still in control, how he will reign victorious until then be aware of the pastoral care of God. There are two animals stand out in Daniel 8, a ram & a goat. Thee animals are nothing like the monsters of Daniel 7. These are clean animals, look again at vs 3-4
3 I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. 4 I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and became great.
This time we are told exactly who is what in Daniels vision, vs 20
The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.
One empire made up of two nations. Just as one horn grew stranger than the other; so also Cyrus the Mede outgrew the Persians and so overtook the entire kingdom, and no one could stop the power of this empire; until vs 5 and onwards. A one horned goat suddenly attacks the ram bringing it to ruin. As vs 21 supplies the answer as to who this empire is The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king. Alexander the great overthrows the Persian empire. Which when looking back we can pin point here
here in Daniel we get a window into things before they unfold. We stand in the fortunate position as those who are the ones able to look back on what actually happens. Alexander the Great established an empire that stretched from Europe to India; just like Nebuchadnezzar before him, Alexander soon found himself humbled before God. As God sees it the real worth of an empire isn’t it’s power or territory but whether it lives rightly under the rule of God, verse 9-10 (The Message)
And then from one of these big horns another horn sprouted. It started small, but then grew to an enormous size, facing south and east—toward lovely Palestine. The horn grew tall, reaching to the stars, the heavenly army, and threw some of the stars to the earth and stomped on them. It even dared to challenge the power of God, Prince of the Celestial Army! And then it threw out daily worship and desecrated the Sanctuary. As judgment against their sin, the holy people of God got the same treatment as the daily worship. The horn cast God’s Truth aside. High-handed, it took over everything and everyone.
The kingdom now divided one of the horns grows to such a height that God’s army, sanctuary and truth are thrown down by this ruler. Just as on Alexanders death his mighty empire was broken up by the 4 generals of his army. Antiochus Epiphanes successfully invaded Egypt sweeping aside Jerusalem in his path sacrificing a pig in the temple of Jerusalem in the holy of holies. What we keep on being reminded of is the war waged is as much a spiritual one as it one seen in the conquest of nations by great armies. In Daniel there is something much larger going on. Just as we don’t have to be told how much temptation we face as we seek to live each day as a disciple of Jesus. How we struggle to live a practical life of faith is shown by the question of how willing I am to forgive others? Where do I find my refuge in times of trouble? Where do I take courage form in the face of evil? What hijacks our hearts? Is Jesus enough for us, as God is purposefully sovereign do we have confidence that God loves us and gives us his grace? Daniel has explained to him that evil will not win; however, God still rules even when evil tyrants bring destruction and oppression. Verse 23-25
“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. 24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. 25 He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.
This king assuming power acts as a tyrant he is ruthless and clever. He will stand against God and like all strong rulers will fall. We are reminded again of the cosmic view. God will decide to make an end of this evil kings reign just as he done before with Nebuchadnezzar, and even when evil rulers take power God is in control and will bring all things under his judgment. As Daniel gets to the point here seeing these visions of the future, and even being given some insight as to who is what the future is entirely in God’s hands and under his timing. Verse 27
I, Daniel, was worn out. I lay exhausted 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 knew he had to get up and get on with life in the world of the present, as the Apostle Paul leads us the way on living with the tension of what we see now and the present evil that looks so uncontrollable. What we are told to look forward to becoming. Ephesians 3:14-21 (The Message)
14-19 My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. 20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!
Like Daniel when he had that vision was left shaken and ill for days, we can also feel the same kind of way. We can become so easily discouraged seeing the gap between what we experience our achievements now and our destination then. What we will be like
It’s easy to feel jaded by God’s promises. What Paul does is get us seeing how Jesus points our feet in the right direction. As someone puts it this way “Christ lives in us, and we live out our lives in Him. He will not fail. Let that seize you. Then do what Paul did and what he tells you to do. Pour your life into bridging that gap, in reliance on the immediate grace of God. I guarantee that you will see and taste glory. Sufferings? Yes. Defeats and defections? It happens. Disappointments? Sure. But you will also witness marvels: lives changed, loving and merciful acts, courage, spectacular humility, reconciliations, the powerful presence of God.”[3] As we see the end in sight we are reminded. The future is in God’s hands. The question is will we live as people who put our trust in him today?
Let’s pray…
David Hassan @ Tamworth Community Presbyterian Church 5-11-17
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/may/03/how-to-solve-cryptic-crossword
[2] Ideas taken from Andrew Reid Kingdoms in conflict AIO Press, Sydney, 1993p.167-168
[3] David Powlinson “Who is God” The Journal of Biblical Counseling • Volume 22 17 • Number 2 • Winter 1999. P.22.