America: Rushing Across the Threshold of Daniel Eight - Part I
What does the Bible have to teach us about the conflict America faces with Iraq? Plenty! After two partial fulfillments of Daniel eight to teach us the pattern by which to recognize the next prophetic fulfillment, we should be ready to see America soon clash with Iraq, win, then shortly thereafter in the prime of her strength have her power broken, her “superpower” status removed, George Bush “broken off” and America split into four regional kingdoms. Bill Clinton will arise as the prominent leader of one of them, later to be revealed in supernatural power as the lawless one.
I am really sticking my neck out to say it plainly like this, but just watch and see if it doesn't play out this way. I risk looking really foolish, but fortunately for you I don't have anything to lose. (Except maybe my head. But some of you are convinced I've already lost it anyhow.) Before you reject this supposition out of hand, consider the history and consider the facts. I can't tell you how far off it is that those who write and read such as this will no longer have the unrestrained freedom we enjoy, but I feel it is not very far off. Monitoring is the first step on this path, which you should know is already being done - but the Lord reigns and will continue to reign - and the greater freedom that is ours through the cross will remain ours as we take it up. Amen?
You may want to read Daniel 8, before proceeding.
1 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king a vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me previously.
2 I looked in the vision, and while I was looking I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal.
3 Then I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last.
4 I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before him nor was there anyone to rescue from his power, but he did as he pleased and magnified himself.
5 While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.
6 He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath.
7 I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power.
8 Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
9 Out of one of them came forth a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land.
10 It grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down.
11 It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down.
12 And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?
14 He said to me, For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored.
15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one who looked like a man.
16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision.
17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; but he said to me, Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.
18 Now while he was talking with me, I sank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and made me stand upright.
19 He said, Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end.
20 The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.
21 The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
22 The broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.
23 In the latter period of their rule, When the transgressors have run their course, A king will arise, Insolent and skilled in intrigue.
24 His power will be mighty, but not by his own power, And he will destroy to an extraordinary degree And prosper and perform his will; He will destroy mighty men and the holy people.
25 And through his shrewdness He will cause deceit to succeed by his influence; And he will magnify himself in his heart, And he will destroy many while they are at ease. He will even oppose the Prince of princes, But he will be broken without human agency.
26 The vision of the evenings and mornings Which has been told is true; But keep the vision secret, For it pertains to many days in the future.
Daniel 8 (NASB)
I invite you to consider this interactive presentation of the symmetrical thematic structure of chapter 8, and the surrounding context. Thematic structure of Daniel Chapters 7 through 12 - Interactive
Daniel Eight's Goat/Ram Conflict: Partial Fulfillment Number One
Alexander the Great lived from 356 B.C. until June 10/11 323 B.C. At the age 20, he assumed command of the Greek army and began conquering many kingdoms. It was because of him that a great part of the world became Hellenized, adopting the Greek language and culture. Alexander the Great himself became convinced that he was the one to whom Daniel 8 referred, which prophetic scripture had been recorded about a quarter of a century earlier. Josephus the historian (Antiquities - Book XI - chapter 8) documented this, even recording the vision that Alexander had been given, by which also the life of Israel's then High Priest had been spared.) When the power of the goat, Alexander's kingdom had been broken, the four kingdoms that arose were: Macedonia, Pergamum, Egypt and the Seleucid empire. Out from the Seleucid empire came the king Antiochus Epiphanes. He has been very popularly acknowledged as foreshadowing the lawless one. He is the man who forced the sacrifice of pigs, desecrating the Temple altar. The events establishing the festival Chanukah followed - and these matters are quite well documented and popularly known. By comparing the scriptures with the historical facts, we learn how to interpret the latter fulfillments!
Daniel Eight's Goat/Ram Conflict: Partial Fulfillment Number Two
Over a decade ago, the attention of watchful students of prophecy was brought dramatically to bear once again upon Daniel chapter eight. It became apparent to very many people that the Lord had foretold the “Desert Storm” conflict between Iraq and the US, with Israel's role clearly in sight. I'll get to Daniel eight shortly, but let me first mention the dramatic fulfillment of Psalm 91, the 19th book of the Bible, in 1991 first popularized by J. R. Church. (See my writing on the miracle of Psalm 91 The now deceased but then prominent Orthodox Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Schneerson really got some attention when he accurately predicted the date of the end of the Gulf war! With insight gleaned from interpreting old rabbinic commentaries on the scriptures and by careful observation of the daily news, he boldly made his prediction public. He had been helped by noting that on Thursday, February 28, 1991, US General Schwartzkopf commanded the advancing armies to hold their advance. This was the evening of the holy day Purim, at which time Jewish celebrants in synagogues the world over were rejoicing in their historical victory over the wicked Amelikite Haman, the enemy of the Jewish people whose story is told in the book of Esther. In another pointed correlation, these facts spoke to many in that day that prophecy was being fulfilled. Exodus 17: 8-16 is read in synagogues on Purim, telling of the conflict between Israel and her enemy where a promise of the blotting out of the memory of Amalek from under heaven is given. The name of Saddam Hussein and the name of Amalek both have the same Gematria, they have the numerical value of 240 in Hebrew. As the Rabbis say, coincidence is not a kosher word. During the Gulf conflict, it was observed that a total of 39 SCUD missiles (40 save 1) were launched at Israel. This is the number of lashes commonly given for chastisement during the time of Roman rule.
Now for Daniel eight's symbolism brought up to date. It was apparent that in a first round of fulfillment, Alexander the Great was the king of Greece. In the second round, George Bush Sr played the role, leading this countries forces as their Commander in Chief. As Greece Hellenized the world of that time, the USA (with mother Great Britain) has English-ized/American-ized the language and culture of the world. (Or should I say, Hollywood-ized) Now, this verse was more literally fulfilled in this second round of fulfillment, where in the first round its fulfillment had been more figurative.
While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.
Daniel 8:5
As the world observed on CNN, and Beheld with fascination, the military might wielded by this latter day King of Greece was as a very conspicuous “horn.” (the king, yes, and a symbol of power) Did these forces travel from the west to that battle zone without touching the ground? They sure did - by sea and air!!!
But yet, as that phase of the conflict between the ram and the goat came to its conclusion, the prophetic scriptures in Daniel 8 were not yet completely fulfilled.
Daniel Eight's Goat/Ram Conflict: Fulfillment Number Three
The current POTUS George Bush (reigning King of Greece, as he may rightly be considered in this context) has declared his intention to once again enter into the arena of Daniel 8. This time, promising to take Saddam out, he intends to fulfill his apparent destiny in Daniel 8:7ff.
I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power.
Daniel 8:7
Many Americans will jump up and down with wild enthusiasm - and buy even more flags!
Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly.
Daniel 8:8a
Until the rest of that verse is fulfilled.
But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
Daniel 8:8a
The world will watch in wonder as the United States follows the example of the Soviet Union (in the summer of 1991), which seems to have been set as a pattern. Instead of “E Pluribus Unum”, “out of many, one”, out of the one shall come many! Because “In God We Trust” has become merely a motto without reality.
From these, one “horn power” from the Greek goat patterned after the Seleucid kingdom will rise to preeminence, with one patterned after Antiochus Epiphanes as its undisputed ruler.
America: Rushing Across the Threshold of Daniel Eight
[ Part I | Part II ]